Thomas Kwok (centre) was jailed along with Hui (right). Photo: Edward Wong
Source:
https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/2188675/jailed-hong-kong-property-mogul-thomas-kwok-be-released Law and Crime
Jailed Hong Kong property mogul Thomas Kwok to be released on March 21
- Former joint chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties has been in prison since 2014, with interlude of nearly a year when he was bailed pending appeal
- He will serve two-thirds of a five-year sentence, because of good behaviour
Thomas Kwok was convicted in 2014 for bribing Rafael Hui. Photo: David Wong
Jailed Hong Kong property mogul Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong will regain his freedom in about two weeks after serving most of a five-year jail term for corruption, the Post has learned.
The former joint chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties will serve only two-thirds of his sentence in Stanley Prison, because of good behaviour.
Kwok, now 67, was convicted of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office in December 2014, for bribing the city’s former No 2 official, Rafael Hui Si-yan. He was jailed for five years. The court also banned Kwok from taking up a company director position for five years.
“He has been on good behaviour and therefore his jail term is reduced by one-third,” a source said. “He will be released from the maximum-security facility, Stanley Prison, on March 21.”
Kwok has not been in prison continuously since 2014. He gained temporary freedom when he was bailed pending appeal in July 2016. But he was sent back to jail after losing his final appeal in June 2017.
He was stripped last March of his civic honours, such as the Silver Bauhinia Star he received in 2007 and the title of Justice of the Peace.
The corruption case centred on a payment of HK$8.5 million (US$1.1 million) from Kwok to Hui via two middlemen just before Hui became chief secretary in 2005. After assuming office, Hui was in charge of projects – including Ma Wan Park and the West Kowloon Cultural District – in which Sun Hung Kai had a substantial interest.
All the defendants were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office.
Hui, who was also convicted of other charges, was sentenced to 7½ years in jail for pocketing nearly HK$19.7 million in bribes.
The two middlemen – former Sun Hung Kai subordinate Thomas Chan Kui-yuen and former stock exchange official Francis Kwan Hung-sang, who were also found guilty of other charges – were sentenced to six and five years in jail respectively, for channelling HK$11.18 million.
Kwan and Chan were released from Stanley Prison last April and October respectively.
Sun Hung Kai Properties said it had no comments on the issue.