Macau's former public works chief Ao Man-long was sentenced to 29 years in jail for corruption and money laundering yesterday, six months more than the term he is currently serving for previous graft charges.
The bribe money involved in the latest trial, more than 31.9 million patacas, and shares Ao owned in his firm Ecoline, were confiscated.
The Macau Court of Final Appeal confirmed that Hong Kong tycoons Joseph Lau Luen-hung and Steven Lo Kit-sing offered Ao HK$20 million over the bid for five plots of land opposite Macau airport, but it said the prosecution could not fully establish how a debit note asking for money was sent from Macau to the tycoons.
Lau and Lo were charged with bribery and money laundering.
They both denied the charges last week and will face a trial in Macau.
Judge Sam Hou-fai yesterday condemned Ao (pictured) for not showing remorse and making up 'ridiculous' excuses in his defence. 'The amount of bribe money he received is far more than the amount supported by evidence ... so large that no other officials involved in corruption in Asia and other countries can compare,' he said.