Former public prosecutor Kong Chi sentenced to 24 years in prison

[Photo: Renato Marques]

The Court of Second Instance (TSI) has delivered the sentence in the second stage of the trial involving Assistant Prosecutor-General Kong Chi.

In the new sentence, the court found Kong Chi guilty of additional charges, increasing his jail time to a total of 24 years.

The second-stage trial also found the defendant Ho Kam Meng guilty of additional charges, including co-leading a syndicate with Kong Chi in carrying out the unlawful activities.

Ho was handed a 15-year prison sentence.

In total, Kong Chi was found guilty of six counts of passive corruption for an unlawful act, each punishable by three years in prison; five counts of malfeasance, each punishable by two years; and one count of abuse of power, punishable by one year.

In aggregate for the 12 crimes mentioned, TSI sentenced him to 12 years, which, when added to the prison sentence imposed during the first phase of the trial, results in a single term of 24 years.

As for Ho, the court considered him guilty of one count of being a member of, or supporting, a secret association or society, resulting in a 10-year sentence; four counts of passive corruption, each punishable by two years and six months; and three counts of malfeasance, each punishable by one year and six months.

In aggregate for the eight crimes mentioned, TSI sentenced Ho to a single 15-year term.

Also found guilty of wrongdoing was the third defendant, Choi Sao Ieng, who received a three-year sentence for malfeasance, passive corruption, and abuse of power. Combined with the first-phase sentence, Choi’s total term is 16 years and nine months.

Kuan Hoi Lon, the fourth defendant, was acquitted of all charges.

Kong Chi was found guilty of interfering with criminal investigations, filing illegal cases, and retrieving seized property for personal gain. More than MOP14 million in assets, deemed of unknown origin, were confiscated.