Judge rejects tycoon’s appeal for bail
Print Edition
A Hong Kong court yesterday rejected property tycoon Thomas Kwok’s plea for bail as he appeals a five-year prison sentence for bribing a senior official.
The 63-year-old, who was the joint chairman of Hong Kong’s biggest property company Sun Hung Kai, was jailed in December after he was found guilty of conspiracy to commit misconduct in a public office over a series of payments totalling HK$8.5 million (US$1.1 million) given to former city deputy leader Rafael Hui.
The high-profile case shocked the city and deepened anger over cosy ties between officialdom and big business.
Kwok, who is serving his sentence at the city’s maximum security Stanley Prison, has appealed the ruling and asked the court to grant him bail as he awaits the outcome.
But his plea was rejected by appeals court judge Yeung Chun-kuen.
Hui, the city’s former chief secretary for administration, was jailed for seven and a half years on a total of five graft charges, making him the highest-ranking official in the city’s history to be found guilty of taking bribes.
During a seven-month trial, the prosecution said Hui was made the “eyes and ears” in government for Sun, while he enjoyed an extravagant standard of living.
The case fuelled anger at what locals call “collusion” between government and businesses, with many young Hong Kong people struggling with a lack of opportunity amid soaring property prices and stagnant wages.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
