Eight companies and 12 individuals suspected of rigging bids for at least 11 building maintenance projects in Hong Kong, including at Wang Fuk Court where 168 people died in a fire last year, are expected to face a month-long trial no earlier than 2028.

The Competition Tribunal held its first hearing on Wednesday for the companies and individuals accused by the Competition Commission of acting as a bid-rigging syndicate for building maintenance projects worth nearly HK$700 million (US$89.4 million) between April 2022 and September 2023.

The commission took legal action against the suspected syndicate in March. It was allegedly led by merchant Cheung Kwing-kuen, who controlled Smart Goal Construction Engineering, Lermond Development Group and Dream Building Construction Engineering.

A court document earlier filed by the commission stated: “Cheung and/or Dream Building devised and deployed this systematic scheme with an objective to secure a significant market share in the industry.”

Cheung, 42, allegedly wrote in a work message that he was “confident in challenging the 25 per cent market share threshold”.

Cheung, his companies, his associates and contractors linked to him were listed as the respondents in the proceedings.