ICAC Charges Eight More Over Third Runway Project

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Wednesday said eight more people have been charged for alleged bribery in connection with the airport’s third runway project.

The graft-buster said the eight are suspected of accepting, offering, and handling bribes totalling HK$4.3 million over sub-contracts and material purchase orders from 2017 to August last year.

They include the wife of the former general manager of the Airport Authority, sand suppliers as well as subcontractors. They have been released on bail pending their appearance at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Friday.

The case came to light in August last year after the watchdog received a complaint.

Thirty-two people have been arrested in connection with the case so far, and a total of 10 people have been charged.

"We have been maintaining close liaison with the Airport Authority on how to improve the procedures. Our corruption prevention department has given a lot of different proposals on how to improve the tendering and other works procedures," said Joan Wong, a senior investigator of the ICAC’s operations department.

The Airport Authority, for its part, says it had terminated the contracts of staff linked to the case, and the subcontractors in question have not engaged in any projects since then.

The third runway officially came into operation in July last year. The whole project came with a price tag of over HK$140 billion.