Thomas Kwok appeals against conviction of giving Rafael Hui HK$8.5m

Jailed property tycoon Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong filed an appeal yesterday against his conviction for having illegally paid former government No 2 Rafael Hui Si-yan HK$8.5 million.

Kwok's lawyers submitted the application 10 days after a landmark verdict that resulted in the unprecedented incarceration of the city's highest-ranking former official ever found guilty of graft.

The billionaire, a former co-chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties, is the first to lodge an appeal among the four convicted in the case. Hui has so far only indicated he would "certainly appeal" against his five convictions for bribery and misconduct in public office, according to his wife Teresa Lo Mei-mei.

A senior prosecution source said Kwok's challenge of the jury's guilty verdict over one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office was "expected".

"We are confident of [our chance of winning]," the source said, adding that the defence arguments were "not strong".

Kwok, 63, and Hui, 66, are serving jail terms of five and 7-1/2 years, respectively. Former SHKP executive director Thomas Chan Kui-yuen, 68, and ex-stock exchange official Francis Kwan Hung-sang, 64, were jailed for six years and five years. All are behind bars at Stanley Prison.

Kwok's lawyers are reportedly taking to task the High Court trial judge over his directions to the jury, and the jurors for their "unsatisfactory" verdicts that found Kwok guilty of one count but acquitted him of two other charges.