A 40-year-old Indian man was found guilty in the West Kowloon’s Magistrates Court on Tuesday of illegally soliciting agent’s fees to help his countrymen find work.
The court heard that Singh Resham, a Hong Kong identity card holder who had worked for a construction company as a driver and laborer, solicited money from two of his countrymen, the Oriental Daily reported.
The two Indian men came to Hong Kong in April and June in 2016 looking for work. Resham said he could help arrange to get them work, but asked for HK$3,000 (US$382) from each as a referral fee.
Later, the two men were employed as construction site foremen, but only one gave Resham HK$1,000. They then found out it was illegal to solicit an agent’s fee and reported the case to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Deputy magistrate Lau Suk-han said both men were honest and reliable, adding that the defendant accepted the money illegally. He remanded Resham in custody until August 14 pending a background report before sentencing.