Hong Kong's disgraced former No 2 official Rafael Hui fined for failing to list details of earnings, property
Disgraced ex-official admits he did not submit required statement of earnings and properties
Former government No 2 Rafael Hui Si-yan was fined HK$2,000 yesterday for failing to submit a statement of earnings and details of his property after he was declared bankrupt in 2013.
Hui did not show up earlier this month for a Court of Appeal hearing relating to his appeal against his bribery conviction. Media reports suggested that Hui wanted to "avoid travelling". Speculation was rife before his corruption trial in May last year that his health was deteriorating. Neither Hui's lawyer, Edwin Choy Wai-bond, nor the prosecution would confirm the reasons for his no-show.
Represented by barrister Joe Chan yesterday, Hui pleaded guilty to the summons.
Magistrate Abu Bakar bin Wahab said that on November 17 last year, Hui, "being an undischarged bankrupt in Hong Kong, did fail to submit to the trustee-in-bankruptcy a statement of your earnings and details of the property you had acquired during the preceding year".
The magistrate ordered Hui to pay the fine by September 30.
Quoting a letter Hui's solicitors sent to the court, Wahab said Hui missed the deadline for submitting the statement because he was busy preparing closing submissions for his criminal case.
In December last year, Hui was jailed for 7-1/2 years for pocketing almost HK$19.7 million in bribes and inducements in 2005 and 2007 and committing misconduct in public office.
A seven-day appeal hearing is due to start on November 2.
