Hong Kong’s civil servant Rafael Hui found guilty

Hong Kong’s civil servant Rafael Hui found guilty – Unique Times

A former top Hong Kong civil servant was found guilty on Friday of accepting HK$8.5 million ($1.1 million) in bribes from executives of property developer Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd (0016.HK), in the city’s most high-profile corruption case.

Rafael Hui, 66, who headed Hong Kong’s civil service from 2005 to 2007, was found guilty of three counts of misconduct in public office and two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct. He had faced eight charges related to bribery and misconduct in public office, all of which he denied.

Raymond Kwok, co-chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the city’s largest developer, was cleared of all charges. But his brother and fellow co-chairman, billionaire Thomas Kwok, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. He had pleaded not guilty.

Hui’s conviction by Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption had been widely expected given the strength of the evidence against him. It provides a boost to the powerful agency, which has faced criticism in recent years that it has struggled to land big cases. It has also been under fire over public perceptions that its leaders have too eagerly courted relations with mainland officials, putting its vaunted independence at risk.

Denisha Sahadevan