Former Top Govt Official Goes On Trial For Bribery

Former senior government official Wilson Fung went on trial at the District Court on Monday, accused of taking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from a Macau businesswoman.

Fung, who was responsible for air service negotiations and air traffic rights, is accused of accepting HK$510,000 in September 2004 from Cheyenne Chan, the head of three airline and helicopter companies.

Chan is also on trial alongside Fung, who allegedly used the money as part of a deposit on a luxury flat in Mid-Levels.

The prosecutor told the court that Fung, who was a deputy secretary of economic development, failed to declare a conflict of interest and acted in a manner that was favourable to Chan's companies over a three-year period.

A civil servant with more than 20 years' experience, there was no way he could not have understood the rules on conflicts of interest and he deliberately chose to conceal the deal with Chan from the government, the court was told.

Both Fung and Chan have pleaded not guilty to bribery, while Fung also denies a charge of misconduct in public office.