Date set for Rafael Hui corruption trial
The long-awaited corruption trial of former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan and the billionaire Kwok brothers of one of the city's biggest developers will be heard in the Court of First Instance in May next year.
The listing was decided in a closed-door session yesterday in the High Court, where the hearing will take place between May 8 and August 15 next year.
The trial is set for 70 days. The pre-trial review has been scheduled for September 3 this year. But the number of witnesses to be called has yet to be confirmed.
The prosecution team is being led by prominent British barrister David Perry QC, who is leading the prosecution in the trial of fung shui master Peter Chan Chun-chuen, formerly known as Tony Chan, who is charged with forging the will of late billionaire Nina Wang Kung Yu-sum.
The High Court earlier allowed applications by the Kwok brothers to engage fraud specialist Clare Montgomery QC to act for Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong, and John Kelsey-Fry QC to represent Raymond Kwok Ping-luen.
In March, former chief secretary Hui and the Kwok brothers of Sun Hung Kai Properties (SHKP) pleaded not guilty when they appeared in Eastern Court.
With the prosecution dropping one charge against Raymond Kwok and Hui, the Kwok brothers - who run the world's biggest property developer by market value - now face no charges under the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance.
But Raymond Kwok, 59, still faces two charges of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and furnishing false information. Thomas Kwok, 61, faces two counts of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
The Department of Justice added a new charge of misconduct in public office against Hui, keeping at eight the number he faces. They include misconduct in public office, conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, furnishing false information and conspiracy to offer an advantage to a public servant.
SHKP executive director Thomas Chan Kui-yuen, 66, and former Hong Kong Stock Exchange official Francis Kwan Hung-sang, 62, each pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office and one of conspiracy to offer an advantage to a public servant.
