A former financial controller of a US-based electronic products manufacturer, charged by the ICAC, was today (Wednesday) convicted at District Court of accepting bribes totalling $9.6 million.

In view of the upcoming by-elections of three District Councils (DC) to be held in March this year, the ICAC has produced information booklets and publicity pamphlets to remind candidates, election agents and voters of the importance of keeping the electi ons clean.

A man, who was among seven persons earlier charged by the ICAC in connection with a fraudulent scheme to swindle money with bogus standby Letters of Credit (L/Cs), admitted his role at Eastern Magistracy today (Friday).

The ICAC is expected to have its operational and training facilities upgraded by late 2007, further enhancing its overall efficiency, with the completion of its purpose-built Headquarters Building project in North Point.

An officer of the Customs and Excise Department (C&E), charged by the ICAC, was today (Tuesday) sentenced to 16 months' imprisonment for accepting bribes totalling $82,000 from a garment factory operator for providing restricted information on a number of textile companies under investigation, and staff duty rosters to facilitate the transporting of undeclared textile products across the border.

Seven persons, including a solicitor and a solicitor's clerk, who were arrested yesterday by the ICAC for their alleged roles in a fraudulent scheme to swindle money with bogus standby Letters of Credit (L/Cs), were brought before the Eastern Magistracy t his (Friday) afternoon.

The ICAC will continue to adopt a proactive investigative strategy to unearth corruption, and offer timely prevention services to both the government and private sectors to ensure Hong Kong will remain one of the world's cleanest cities, said ICAC Commiss ioner, Mr Raymond Wong Hung-chiu, at a press briefing today (Wednesday).

Three former staff members of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), charged by the ICAC, were today (Wednesday) sentenced at Eastern Magistracy for making false claims of entertainment and taxi expenses totalling over $7,700 from HKTB.

The former chairman of a tobacco manufacturer and two other persons, charged by the ICAC for their alleged roles in cigarette smuggling activities, faced three amended charges when they appeared at the Eastern Magistracy this (Tuesday) morning.

Three senior executives of a cleaning company were today (Monday) charged by the ICAC for an alleged fraud to deceive the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) over the wages paid to cleaning workers in relation to a LCSD cleansing contract.