Alan Wong writes: The former second-highest ranking official in the Hong Kong government and a property tycoon were sentenced on Tuesday to seven and a half years and five years in prison after their convictions in a high-profile corruption case.
The former official, Rafael Hui, served as chief secretary, the city’s top civil service job, from 2005 to 2007. He became involved in illicit dealings that led to a charge of misconduct in public office. Thomas Kwok, one of two brothers who were co-chairmen of Sun Hung Kai Properties, was also found guilty in a conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
Raymond Kwok, who is now the sole chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties, was found not guilty. Two additional defendants, found guilty of helping to pass on the illegal payments, were sentenced to five years and six years in prison.
Lawrence Lok, Thomas Kwok’s lawyer, said the sentence was “proper” and “quite lenient.” Edwin Choy, Mr. Hui’s lawyer, said as he left the court that he did not yet know whether his client would file an appeal.
Shares of Sun Hung Kai Properties, one of the biggest companies of its kind in the world, edged up in Hong Kong on Tuesday despite a weaker market over all.
The trial and sentencing of Mr. Hui and Mr. Kwok came at a turbulent political time for Hong Kong. Beginning in late September, tens of thousands of demonstrators occupied the streets of the city to voice concern over a lack of accountability in the government and to demand democratic elections for the city’s leadership. The protesters said election rules proposed by the Chinese government would give voters only a cosmetic role in choosing their leader.
Prosecutors said that Sun Hung Kai Properties had sought favors from Mr. Hui in return for showering him with millions of dollars in payments that helped to finance his extravagant tastes.
Prosecutors said that Mr. Hui started his dealings with the company in 2000, when he took a loan from one of its subsidiaries while he was out of government. He later took millions of dollars and lived rent-free in an apartment in one of the company’s high-end developments.
Mr. Hui took more than $3.2 million in payments, in cash and in kind, according to investigators from Hong Kong’s independent commission against corruption. He was found guilty of taking $1.1 million in bribes from Mr. Kwok before and during his time as chief secretary.
