Duo of former civil construction heads prosecuted
Li Canfeng
Two ex-directors of the former Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) have been prosecuted by the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) over the weekend, local media reports.
The former bureau – which has now ceased operations – was merged with the Infrastructure Development Office (GDI) April 1 and then separated into the Public Works Bureau (DSOP) and the Land and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU). The two steps took place concurrently.
According to public broadcaster Portuguese Rádio Macau, the indictments were issued June 24 after the MP concluded its investigations. The charges against the duo were for the crimes of association, criminal syndication and money laundering.
The ex-directors were Li Canfeng and Jaime Roberto Carion. Li has been taken into custody at the prison in Coloane. Carion, meanwhile, is at large and is not in Macau.
According to the report, local businesspeople Sio Tak Hong, Kwan Wai Lam and Ng Lap Seng are also involved. The case concerns a total of 21 people.
Li is alleged to be involved in the crimes of association and criminal syndication, which will be prosecuted together. He was also charged with 11 counts of taking bribes for conducting illicit activities, 10 counts of money laundering, a count of document forgery and four counts of erroneous declarations of assets.
Meanwhile, Carion is alleged to be involved in the crimes of association and criminal syndication, which will also be prosecuted together. He was also charged with five counts of taking bribes for conducting illicit activities and six counts of money laundering.
The same report by the public broadcaster said that Sio was charged with the crimes of association and criminal syndication, as well as two counts of offering bribes, five counts of money laundering and four counts of document forgery.
Kwan was charged with the crimes of association and criminal syndication, as well as three counts of offering bribes and three counts of money laundering. Ng is charged with crimes of association and criminal syndication, as well as four counts of money laundering.
The public broadcaster also said that constructor Wu Ka I, who was involved in the bribery of former Secretary for Transport and Public Works Ao Man Long, is also involved.
The charges made against the duo of former DSSOPT directors were revealed by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) last December and this January. Earlier announcements by the CCAC did not suggest that the crimes of association nor criminal syndication would be among the charges to be brought.
Earlier, the anti-corruption agency charged Carion with taking bribes for conducting illicit activities and money laundering. The businesspeople were charged with the crimes of offering bribes and money laundering.
Although Carion and some of his family members have left Macau, several real properties that belong to them have been seized by CCAC.
The list of charges reported by the public broadcaster differ significantly from those previously announced by MP or CCAC. It is unclear if this is due to the judiciary uncovering additional evidence in support of such charges.
