Australian CEO sent to prison
Source: Agencies |
December 7, 2011, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
An Australian businessman detained in southern China was jailed for 13 years yesterday for embezzlement and bribery, Australia's government confirmed.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Matthew Ng planned to appeal the sentence, which was handed down by the Guangzhou Intermediate Court. Consular officials were present for the hearing, it said.
Ng is CEO of Et-China, a travel services company reportedly embroiled in a dispute with a Chinese partner.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the chairman of Ng's company, Zheng Hong, was jailed for 16 years and Et-China's chief financial officer, Kitty Yang, for 3 years and 6 months, both on related embezzlement and corporate charges.
At the time of Ng's arrest in Guangzhou in November 2010, Australian media said the detention was related to a business dispute between Et-China, which has shares listed on the London Stock Exchange, and a local partner, Guangdong Lingnan International Enterprises.
The Australian newspaper said yesterday that investors in Et-China were in closed-door negotiations with Lingnan and at least one other Chinese company over disputed assets and were trying to strike a deal.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters Ng's case was handled according to law and that assistance was extended to Australian consular officials.
The case follows the arrest and conviction last year in Shanghai of four employees of mining giant Rio Tinto, including Australian citizen Stern Hu, for bribery and infringing trade secrets. Hu was sentenced in April to 10 years in prison while three colleagues were jailed for seven to 14 years.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said Matthew Ng planned to appeal the sentence, which was handed down by the Guangzhou Intermediate Court. Consular officials were present for the hearing, it said.
Ng is CEO of Et-China, a travel services company reportedly embroiled in a dispute with a Chinese partner.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the chairman of Ng's company, Zheng Hong, was jailed for 16 years and Et-China's chief financial officer, Kitty Yang, for 3 years and 6 months, both on related embezzlement and corporate charges.
At the time of Ng's arrest in Guangzhou in November 2010, Australian media said the detention was related to a business dispute between Et-China, which has shares listed on the London Stock Exchange, and a local partner, Guangdong Lingnan International Enterprises.
The Australian newspaper said yesterday that investors in Et-China were in closed-door negotiations with Lingnan and at least one other Chinese company over disputed assets and were trying to strike a deal.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told reporters Ng's case was handled according to law and that assistance was extended to Australian consular officials.
The case follows the arrest and conviction last year in Shanghai of four employees of mining giant Rio Tinto, including Australian citizen Stern Hu, for bribery and infringing trade secrets. Hu was sentenced in April to 10 years in prison while three colleagues were jailed for seven to 14 years.
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