Rafael Hui case one of collusion and exploitation, prosecutor tells court
Prosecutor says jury can find defendants guilty even if specific favours are not clear
Collusion, secrecy, exploitation and abuse of office - that summed up the corruption involving former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan and the co-chairmen of Sun Hung Kai Properties, the lead prosecutor said yesterday in his closing submission to their graft trial.
David Perry QC said it would not be a problem for the jury to convict the five defendants without identifying any particular favours that the one-time government No2 did for Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong or Raymond Kwok Ping-luen, who allegedly bribed him to the tune of millions of dollars.
"In the very nature of misconduct and bribery, it is frequently impossible to link a bribe or a payment to the specific performance of any act," Perry said.
Referring to earlier testimony by former education secretary Michael Suen Ming-yeung, Perry asked the jury: "Do you think the relationship between Rafael Hui and SHKP in this case was 'open and transparent'?"
The prosecution alleges Hui was bribed to be the company's "eyes and ears" in government.
"Why else would you pay a man about to be chief secretary?" Perry asked. "Businessmen don't do that - they are not running a charity."