Ex-Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang to know in 3 months if he will face corruption charges
Top prosecutor signals the investigation into former chief executive is nearing the end
Hong Kong will finally know - in less than three months - whether its former chief executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen is to face charges or not, under a time frame unveiled by the top prosecutor after three years of graft investigations.
Director of Public Prosecutions Keith Yeung Kar-hung also dismissed worries that the former leader would flee the city and escape legal liabilities - a scenario he described as "quite unlikely" - given the Department of Justice had yet to decide on whether to lay charges after all this while.
Tsang is accused of accepting favours from tycoons while in office from 2005 to 2012. The allegations surfaced as his term was ending, but prosecutors have not confirmed their next move.
Yeung's words yesterday raised hopes that the city would soon see some concrete progress.
"We have been considering [various matters] towards the conclusion," he said. "I am optimistic that the case and a final conclusion … will be reached within the very near future."
Asked if he meant a decision would be announced in three months, the DPP said it could happen earlier than that.