Rafael Hui's links with 'godfather of nightclubs' likely formed at racetrack

A shared interest in horse racing brought together the well-known owner of one of the world's top luxurious Japanese-themed nightclubs and the man who was to become the government's No 2 official.

It surprised many in the High Court when Law Cheuk, "godfather of nightclubs", was said to have given Rafael Hui Si-yan HK$3 million in June 2005 for rent payments, just 10 days before Hui became chief secretary.

"Both Law and Hui are very devoted to horse racing," said Apollo Ng Shung, president of the Racehorse Owners Association. "They were both horse owners and attended horse races all the time. This might have led them to become friends."

Hui was convicted on Friday of five counts that included accepting bribes and inducements totalling HK$19.682 million while serving as chief secretary and Executive Council member. Of that sum, HK$8.5 million was paid by Sun Hung Kai Properties co-chairman Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong in 2005 via SHKP executive director Thomas Chan Kui-yuen and Hui's friend Francis Kwan Hung-sang, while the remaining HK$11.182 million was from Chan and Kwan in 2007.

Hui was also found guilty of three charges of misconduct in public office between 2000 and 2007, for failing to tell the Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority and later the government about financial benefits amounting to HK$16.582 million. He kept quiet about unsecured loans granted by the property giant and lived rent-free in two upscale flats at The Leighton Hill, Happy Valley.

The court heard that no rent was initially charged when he moved in in February 2003, and the accommodation later became part of a remuneration package for his job as SHKP consultant from March 2004 to March 2005.