Donald Tsang, Hong Kong’s former chief executive, center, leaves the Eastern Magistrates’ Court in Hong Kong, China, on Monday, October 5, 2015.
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Donald Tsang, the previous CEO of Hong Kong, showed up in court on Monday to face two charges of offense out in the open office amid his seven-year residency in the region’s most elevated office.
Tsang, aged 70, faced two charges of misconduct in public office, contrary to Common Law.
“The decision to prosecute was made after careful and thorough consideration of the available evidence”, said Hong Kong’s department of justice. In a separate corruption case a year ago, a former Hong Kong chief secretary – the second-highest ranking official – and a co-chairman of one of the city’s biggest property developers were given prison sentences.
Tsang – who stepped down from his position as of July 2012, is now on HK$100,000 ($12,900) bail – is expected to reappear in court November. 13.
The Associated Press reports that Tsang’s case is just the latest in a string of stories that have shaken the public’s confidence in officials and raised question marks about the often cosy relationship between government leaders and the wealthy.
The charges, according to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, were related to the nomination of an architect doing a design work on the flat for a government award and a rental deal for a penthouse flat in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen.
The charges against Tsang are in connection with his failure to file conflict of interest declarations to the Executive Council – the de facto cabinet – according to government-owned broadcaster RTHK.
“My conscience is clear”, he said. “I am confident that the court will eventually exonerate Donald”, she said. He was also financial secretary during the former British colonial administration, when he led the effort to successfully defend the city’s currency peg against speculators during the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis.
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Hong Kong has been seen as relatively graft-free but new cases have fueled public suspicions over cozy links between authorities and industry leaders.
