Ex-Chief Executive in court over misconduct in public office
2015-10-5
Former Chief Executive (CE) of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Donald Tsang Yam-kuen appeared in Eastern Magistracy this (Monday) afternoon after being charged by the ICAC with two counts of misconduct in public office.
Tsang, aged 70, faced two charges of misconduct in public office, contrary to Common Law.
No plea was taken. Magistrate So Wai-tak adjourned the case until November 13 this year, when the prosecution will seek committal of the case to the Court of First Instance for trial.
The first charge alleged that between November 2, 2010 and January 20, 2012, Tsang, in the course of or in relation to his public office, namely CE of the HKSAR, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself by failing to declare or disclose to, or by concealing from the Executive Council (“ExCo”) during ExCo meetings in which various licence applications by Wave Media Limited (“WML”), subsequently renamed as Digital Broadcasting Corporation Hong Kong Limited, were discussed and approved, his negotiations with Wong Chor-bau, a major shareholder of WML, in respect of a lease for a three-storey residential property situated at East Pacific Garden in Shenzhen (“the flat”), and the related payment of RMB800,000 to a company of Wong in November 2010.
The second charge alleged that between or about December 2010 and July 2011, Tsang, in the course of or in relation to his public office, namely CE of the HKSAR, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself by failing to disclose to, or by concealing from Kenneth Mak Ching-yu, the then Permanent Secretary for the Chief Executive’s Office, the Development Bureau and the Honours and Non-official Justices of the Peace Selection Committee, his interest in the lease of the flat and the engagement of Barrie Ho Chow-lai for interior design work of the flat when he proposed that Ho be referred for consideration for nomination under the HKSAR honours and awards system.
Tsang was granted cash bail of HK$100,000. He was also ordered to inform the ICAC of his travel itinerary at least 24 hours before leaving Hong Kong and not to interfere with the prosecution witnesses.
The prosecution was represented by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Dr Alain Sham, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alice Chan and Senior Public Prosecutor Irene Fan, and assisted by ICAC officer Winnie Lee.
Tsang, aged 70, faced two charges of misconduct in public office, contrary to Common Law.
No plea was taken. Magistrate So Wai-tak adjourned the case until November 13 this year, when the prosecution will seek committal of the case to the Court of First Instance for trial.
The first charge alleged that between November 2, 2010 and January 20, 2012, Tsang, in the course of or in relation to his public office, namely CE of the HKSAR, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself by failing to declare or disclose to, or by concealing from the Executive Council (“ExCo”) during ExCo meetings in which various licence applications by Wave Media Limited (“WML”), subsequently renamed as Digital Broadcasting Corporation Hong Kong Limited, were discussed and approved, his negotiations with Wong Chor-bau, a major shareholder of WML, in respect of a lease for a three-storey residential property situated at East Pacific Garden in Shenzhen (“the flat”), and the related payment of RMB800,000 to a company of Wong in November 2010.
The second charge alleged that between or about December 2010 and July 2011, Tsang, in the course of or in relation to his public office, namely CE of the HKSAR, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself by failing to disclose to, or by concealing from Kenneth Mak Ching-yu, the then Permanent Secretary for the Chief Executive’s Office, the Development Bureau and the Honours and Non-official Justices of the Peace Selection Committee, his interest in the lease of the flat and the engagement of Barrie Ho Chow-lai for interior design work of the flat when he proposed that Ho be referred for consideration for nomination under the HKSAR honours and awards system.
Tsang was granted cash bail of HK$100,000. He was also ordered to inform the ICAC of his travel itinerary at least 24 hours before leaving Hong Kong and not to interfere with the prosecution witnesses.
The prosecution was represented by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Dr Alain Sham, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Alice Chan and Senior Public Prosecutor Irene Fan, and assisted by ICAC officer Winnie Lee.