A former police officer-turned-jade trader who allegedly sought to bribe three apprentice jockeys with $1 million was granted bail in Western Court yesterday. Ng Siu-chau, 33, detained since his arrest by the ICAC on Monday, was able to raise $500,000 in cash bail, said barrister Paul Dinan, defending. Magistrate Ian Candy approved his application, saying there was no reason why he should be detained further. But Ng was last night still in detention as his guarantor, Wong Kam-chuen, forgot to bring to court any proof that he has $1 million. Mr Candy gave permission for Ng and Mr Wong to reappear in court this morning to complete the surety process. Ng was ordered to surrender all travel documents and report to the Sheung Shui police station three times a week after his release. Senior government counsel Robert Lee yesterday said they would need two more weeks to interview another 17 witnesses, most of them jockeys, to consolidate the case. Mr Candy granted an adjournment to August 1. Ng faces three charges of offering advantages to apprentice jockeys Simon Yim Hin-keung, Alex Yu Kin-shing and Chung Chim-ki on May 28 last year. The alleged $1 million bribe, to be shared between the three, was said to be an inducement for them not to finish in the top three in a race at the Happy Valley racecourse the next day. Ng was also charged with failing to furnish a statutory declaration to an ICAC officer within 28 days, following a request last March 17. Three men accused of illegal bookmaking appeared in the District Court yesterday. Businessmen Chan Hung-yip, 30, and Ching Fuk-hung, 36, and driver Kam Tat-fai, 27, were charged with engaging in bookmaking on March 16 this year at premises in Sai Yeung Choi Street, Mongkok. Chan faced another charge of permitting part of a premises to be used as a gambling establishment for unlawful bookmaking on March 16. No plea was taken yesterday because the prosecution needed more time for further investigation. The three were each granted $100,000 cash bail. Judge Donald Christie adjourned the case to August 1.
