The ICAC is facing a heavy caseload partly attributed to investigations arising from election complaints and the increasingly sophisticated, complicated cases that required in-depth investigation, says Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Corruption (ACO C), Dr Raymond Ch'ien Kuo-fung today (Tuesday).

The Commissioner of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), Mr Raymond Wong Hung-chiu, met the deputy head of the Mainland's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) and briefed him on Hong Kong's latest anti-corruption work during his visit to the territory.

A member of the Sham Shui Po District Council (SDC) and three other persons, charged by the ICAC, today (Friday) admitted having made false claims of reimbursement of expenses totalling about $226,000 from SDC and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Depart ment (FEHD) in relation to various activities organised by two non-profit making residents organisations.

A barrister was today (Wednesday) arrested and charged by the ICAC for his alleged role in frustrating an investigation by the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) in relation to suspected share price rigging of publicly listed Shanghai Land Holdings L imited (Shanghai Land).

A candidate of the 2004 Legislative Council (Legco) Election was today (Monday) arrested and charged by the ICAC for allegedly offering an advantage to a prospective candidate for the latter not to run in the election.

Four police officers and a former customs officer, charged by the ICAC, were today (Saturday) sentenced to jail terms up to 37 months at District Court for their involvement in vice and illegal activities.

Two former employees of Mitsubishi Corporation (Hong Kong) Limited (Mitsubishi-HK) and a merchant, charged by the ICAC, were today (Friday) sentenced to jail terms up to four years at District Court for deceiving commissions and transportation charges tot alling about $6.5 million from Mitsubishi-HK.

The Court of First Instance today (Thursday) meted out a life imprisonment to a man for conspiring to murder an ICAC witness in relation to the trial of a $8 billion cigarette smuggling case allegedly facilitated by corruption.

An unemployed man, charged by the ICAC, was today (Wednesday) convicted by a jury at the Court of First Instance of conspiring to murder an ICAC witness in relation to the trial of a $8 billion cigarette smuggling case allegedly facilitated by corruption.

Seven persons, who were earlier arrested by the ICAC during a corruption inquiry, have been charged for alleged frauds involving two publicly listed companies in separate cases.