- Title: Former Hong Kong Chief Executive arrives for bribery trial
- Date: 3rd January 2017
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (JANUARY 3, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** HONG KONG HIGH COURT HONG KONG FLAG AND CHINA FLAG ENTRANCE TO HONG KONG'S HIGH COURT SIGN READING (English/Chinese): "THE HIGH COURT" CAR PULLING UP/FORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE DONALD TSANG ENTERING HIGH COURT
- Embargoed: 18th January 2017 01:25
- Keywords: China Hong Kong Donald Tsang court trial former leader Chief Executive bribery
- Location: HONG KONG, CHINA
- City: HONG KONG, CHINA
- Country: China
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA0015XJ085H
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Hong Kong's former leader Donald Tsang, the highest-ranking official ever to be charged in the city's history, will make a plea for a bribery charge on Tuesday (January 3) as his graft trial began.
Tsang, 72, dressed in a black suit and black bow tie, walked into court with two security guards. He pleaded not guilty to two counts of misconduct in public office during a pre-trial in December 2016.
The charges alleged Tsang accepted free renovations on his rental penthouse under the Shenzhen East Pacific Group, owned by property tycoon and member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Bill Wong Cho-bau.
Tsang failed to disclose his rental negotiations with Wong while his cabinet discussed and approved a digital broadcasting license for a now defunct radio company, in which Wong was a major shareholder, Hong Kong's anti-graft agency the Independent Commission Against Corruption alleged.
Tsang, nicknamed "bow tie Tsang" for his fashion choice, retired as Chief Executive in 2012. The son of a police officer, Tsang enjoyed a high-flying career, rising through the ranks in civil service to serve as colonial Hong Kong's first ethnic Chinese financial secretary just before the handover in 1997.
He became the financial hub's second Chief Executive in 2005 after his unpopular predecessor Tung Chee-hwa resigned citing health problems. Half a million people protested against national security legislation and demanded Tung to resign in 2003.
His trial is expected to last for 20 days. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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