ICAC wins $4m from wanted man

The Hong Kong government has recovered assets worth about $4 million from former police staff sergeant Cheung Wing-shu, who has been sought by the ICAC for 27 years. Cheung is alleged to have acquired the assets through corrupt means during his 22 years in the force.

Civil proceedings against Cheung were launched by the Department of Justice on behalf of the Independent Commission Against Corruption. On March 12, Mr Justice David Yam Yee-kwan of the Court of First Instance ordered bank deposits and accrued interest totalling at least US$402,000 and HK$780,000, as well as jewellery worth HK$38,000, to be transferred to the government.

An ICAC spokesman said: 'This case demonstrates the ICAC's unrelenting determination to pursue corruption and to recover ill-gotten gains through legitimate channels.'

Cheung, now 76, was first investigated by the ICAC for suspected corruption in early 1975. During the trial of former chief police superintendent Peter Godber in that year, prosecution witnesses superintendent Ernest Hunt and superintendent Cheng Hon-kuen said Cheung had corruptly associated with Godber while attached to the Wan Chai police station.

Cheung applied for early retirement in 1973, and left for Taiwan in 1974. A warrant for his arrest was issued in 1976.