The ICAC has been accused of breaking a promise not to charge an alleged bounty hunter for the Marcos fortune who, it is claimed, acted 'like James Bond' to help snare her co-accused.
Chuk Oi-fong, 50, and three others appeared in the District Court yesterday over their alleged deal with the former Philippines first lady Imelda Marcos.
Mrs Marcos had allegedly guaranteed the four 35 per cent of a slice of her late husband Ferdinand's fortune said to have been held by the former dictator in bank accounts in Hong Kong and on the mainland. The accused were said to have believed $20 billion was in the accounts.
Chuk's lawyer, Graham Harris, likened his client to James Bond in her efforts to snare the other accused after allegedly being promised immunity, but said she ended up facing the same charge as the others.
Chuk, mainland businessman Chi Yiu-sui, 51, local loan broker Tang Hoi-lam, 49, and merchant Gu Hao, 39, are charged with plotting to bribe employees of HSBC, including general manager Raymond Or Ching-fai, in a bid to withdraw the money. No pleas have been entered.
Mr Harris said the Independent Commission Against Corruption took Chuk into custody last March and promised her she could become a prosecution witness against the three co-accused.