Bloomberg said that the Hong Kong High Court has been told by the prosecution that Rafael Hui, who was once the second top government official in the country, negotiated a private consulting deal with the company runners of Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd at the same time the Hong Kong pension authority he was then headed had agreed to renew its lease with the property development firm in 2003.
Prosecutor David Perry said today, "Perhaps it was a good deal, perhaps it was the best deal the Mandatory Provident Fund Authority could have ever got. It doesn't matter."
Perry concluded that a public official who is seeking a favor creates an obligation.
According to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hui has been accused with receiving over HK$35 million ($4.5 million) in payments and unsecured loans from Thomas and Raymond Kwok, who both co-chair Sun Hung Kai, between 2005 to 2007. The three men, along with two others, are currently on trial for charges ranging from conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and to offer an advantage to a public servant. Bloomberg said all of the accused have pleaded not guilty to all charges lodged against them.
Perry disclosed to the court that the the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund Authority had signed a six-year lease with Sung Hung Kai worth HK$103 million on June 10, 2003. The lawyer also said that when the lease was signed, Hui was already staying at a rent-free flat owned by the property development firm. Perry added that Hui had told investigators that he did not recuse himself from MPFA discussions relating to Sung Hung Kai as he did not see a conflict of interest and reasoned that he has not agreed to work for the billionaire brothers.
Judge Andrew Macrae, who currently presides the court, had told the nine-member jury that the trial is expected to finish in October this year. Today would be the 19th day of proceedings following preliminary applications and jury selection, Bloomberg said.
