Magnate to face bribery charges

A Hong Kong human rights group said yesterday that the Shanghai No2 Intermediate People's Court had accepted the case of property developer Chau Ching-ngai, but had yet to set a trial date.

The trial might come this month, the Information Centre for Human Rights and Democracy said.

Chau, who has been charged with giving bribes and falsifying taxes, previously served three years in jail for manipulating stock prices and falsifying the registered capital of his companies. He was arrested again after Shanghai party secretary Chen Liangyu was removed for corruption last year and the two men were linked. More than 20 government and state company officials have been implicated in a case involving misappropriation of Shanghai's pension fund.

Cheng Zhiqiang, of the Shanghai Commission for Discipline Inspection, said Wang Weigong , deputy manager of Shenergy Group and aide to late vice-premier Huang Ju , was under investigation in the pension case.