Graft-busters join calls for justice officials to explain to public decision to clear former Hong Kong leader CY Leung in HK$50 million corruption probe

ICAC says it ‘left no stone unturned’ and investigators exhausted all means on the four-year case

Chairman of agency’s advisory committee believes only secretary for justice can explain the matter

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Chow Chung-kong, chairman of the ICAC’s advisory committee on corruption, says the community should be provided with an explanation. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Published: 11:07pm, 18 Dec 2018Updated: 3:18am, 19 Dec 2018

Hong Kong’s graft-buster on Tuesday joined calls by pan-democratic lawmakers for the justice chief to explain to the public her decision to clear former leader Leung Chun-ying of any wrongdoing over a HK$50 million (US$6.3 million) payment he received from an Australian engineering firm.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) said it had “left no stone unturned” in its four-year probe and that investigators had tried their best and exhausted all means on the case.

“I do believe that somehow an explanation should be provided to the community, and to answer the questions that you have all raised,” said Chow Chung-kong, chairman of the ICAC’s advisory committee on corruption.

“The Department of Justice made the decision according to its professional opinion. The matter can only be explained by the secretary for justice.”

Pressure has mounted on Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng to explain the decision. Photo: Nora Tam

Last Wednesday, the agency said it would take no “further investigative action” over the case after receiving legal advice from the department, ending the marathon probe.