Hong Kong tycoon, former senior official convicted of graft

The jury found property magnate Thomas Kwok guilty of conspiracy for making HK$8.5 million (892,150 euros, $1.1 million) in payments to Rafael Hu (pictured above), who at the time was the territory's deputy chief executive.

Hui was found guilty on charges of misconduct and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. Raymond Kwok, Thomas' younger brother, was cleared of the charges against him following the seven month-long trial.

Prosecutors said Hui had enjoyed a standard of living that far-outstripped his government salary.

Hui, the most senior official in Hong Kong to be arrested on corruption charges, was convicted of five of the eight charges brought against him, including those relating to his rent-free use to luxury apartments and the acceptance of unsecured loans.

The court found that the bribery payments, which were made to him in the days leading up to his 2005 appointment to Hong Kong's second highest post, were made in return for inside government information on planned land sales.

Two middlemen involved in the payments, were also convicted on conspiracy charges.

The Kwok brothers, both in their early 60s, are joint chairmen of the Sun Hung Kai Properties company, which built some of Hong Kong's tallest buildings, including the Sun Hung Kai Centre. They are ranked 62 on the Forbes list of the world's wealthiest people.

pfd/dj (AP, AFP)