Former Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang (曾蔭權), who ended his term in disgrace after accepting favors from tycoons, yesterday pleaded not guilty to misconduct charges in the latest high-profile corruption case to hit the territory.
Tsang, 71, held the leadership post for seven years from 2005 and is the highest-ranking Hong Kong official to face a corruption trial.
He had been under investigation by the city’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) since he left office in June 2012.
Photo: EPA
Tsang is charged with two counts of misconduct in public office.
Wearing a suit and bow tie, Tsang spoke briefly in court, saying: “I plead not guilty” to both charges.
Magistrate Jason Wan (溫紹明) then referred the case to the High Court for trial — a date has yet to be set.
Tsang was released on bail and did not speak to reporters when he left the city’s Eastern Court.
The charges relate to Tsang’s failure to disclose his plans to lease a luxury flat in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen which was owned by a major investor in a broadcaster seeking a license from the Hong Kong government, the ICAC said.
Tsang also failed to declare that an architect he proposed for a government award was employed as an interior designer on the flat.
Tsang said previously that he had “every confidence” he would be exonerated.
The case comes less than a year after Hong Kong property tycoon Thomas Kwok (郭炳江) and the government’s former deputy leader Rafael Hui (許仕仁) were jailed for graft, following Hui being found guilty of taking bribes from Kwok and Kwok’s brother Raymond.
While serving as chief secretary for administration, Hui was Tsang’s deputy from 2005 to 2007.
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