The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has charged a former top official and a tycoon with misconduct in public office and bribery respectively over an alleged HK$510,000 bribe.
Wilson Fung Wing-yip, 55, former deputy secretary for economic development and labour – will face two charges including accepting an advantage as a public servant and misconduct in public office. Fung was suspended from his current post as the executive director of corporate development at the Airport Authority on Friday afternoon.
Cheyenne Chan Ung-iok, 62, the former director and shareholder of three companies including Helicopters Hong Kong Limited, Hong Kong Express Airways Limited and Heli Express Limited, will face a charge of offering an advantage to a public servant. Chan is the sister-in-law of casino tycoon Stanley Ho.
They were released on bail and will appear in the Eastern Magistracy next Tuesday for transfer to the District Court.
Wilson Fung is the husband of Betty Ching Suk-yee, who is the head of the government’s Policy Innovation and Co-ordination Office.
The investigation into the duo was launched after the ICAC received complaints over a 2013 flat-swap deal between Betty Fung and Chan. The deal was first exposed by local media.
The ICAC said that in 2004, Wilson Fung was the head of the Aviation Division of the Economic Development and Labour Bureau, and was responsible for air service negotiations, designation of carriers and allocation of air traffic rights.
The ICAC alleged that on or around September 28, 2004, Fung, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, accepted from Chan a sum of HK$510,000 – which she offered – as a reward for favourable treatment for Chan and her companies.
The ICAC also alleged that between September 28, 2004 and July 9, 2006, Fung, in the course of or in relation to his public office, without reasonable excuse or justification, wilfully misconducted himself by:
- Accepting the sum as the initial deposit for his purchase of a property on Robinson Road;
- Concealing from or failing to declare or disclose to the government his acceptance of the sum;
- Failing to declare a conflict of interest in his handling and processing of the various applications from the three companies controlled by or related to Chan;
- Failing to abstain from deliberation and decision-making related to the same applications.
The ICAC added that, according to the legal advice it received, there is insufficient evidence to prefer prosecution against other persons involved in the investigation.
