Rafael Hui ‘rather generous’ in treating people to meals, corruption trial hears
Corruption trial's defence lawyers grill Raymond Chin, a friend of the former chief secretary for more than 20 years, and prosecution witness
Former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan was open-handed in treating people to meals, a high-profile corruption trial involving two tycoons heard yesterday.
Defence lawyers extracted the description from prosecution witness Raymond Chin Yuet-ming, Hui's friend of more than 20 years.
"Would you agree that Mr Hui himself is rather generous in treating people for meals," barrister Ian Winter QC asked during cross-examination. Chin replied: "Absolutely correct."
Chin was giving evidence relating to Hong Kong stock exchange official Francis Kwan Hung-sang, who is Hui's childhood friend and Chin's business partner.
Kwan stands accused of taking part in a scheme engineered to funnel to Hui, via Sun Hung Kai Properties executive director Thomas Chan Kui-yuen and Kwan, millions of dollars from the Kwok brothers of SHKP.
Chin said he ran a business with Kwan selling Alco-out, a drug said to prevent drunkenness and cure hangovers. In November 2008 and August 2010, when they wanted to expand, Hui lent them HK$1.5 million and HK$1 million, Chin said.
Of the HK$2.5 million received, HK$1.5 million went to Kwan as repayment for his investment in the company.