Former Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang (曾蔭權), the highest-ranking ex-official to be charged in the territory’s history, yesterday denied bribery related to the decoration of a luxury penthouse in Shenzhen, China.
Tsang, 72, pleaded not guilty in the High Court to one count of “chief executive accepting an advantage” and another two counts of misconduct in public office.
He had pleaded not guilty to the misconduct charges in late 2015.
Photo: AFP
The charges allege Tsang accepted refurbishment and redecoration work on a three-story penthouse in Shenzhen that he had rented from the Shenzhen East Pacific Group, owned by property tycoon Bill Wong Cho-bau (黃楚標).
Tsang, who appeared stern-faced and wore a black bow tie, failed to disclose his rental negotiations with Wong while his then-Cabinet discussed and approved a digital broadcasting license for a now defunct radio company, in which Wong was a major shareholder, according to Hong Kong’s anti-graft agency, the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Tsang also nominated an architect who had carried out design work on the Shenzhen penthouse for a government award.
Tsang, nicknamed “bow tie Tsang” for his sartorial flourish, became the financial hub’s second chief executive in 2005 after his unpopular predecessor, Tung Chee-hwa (董建華), resigned citing health problems.
The son of a police officer, Tsang enjoyed a high-flying career, rising through the civil service ranks to serve as colonial Hong Kong’s first ethnic Chinese secretary of finance just before the territory’s handover from British to Chinese rule in 1997. He was knighted that same year.
The graft offenses Tsang faces were allegedly committed between 2010 and 2012, the year he retired as chief executive.
Hong Kong is guaranteed freedoms not enjoyed on mainland China, including an independent legal system.
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