The ex-Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Ao Man Long, was detained at midnight of December 6 by the Commission Against Corruption of Macao
Category: Anti-Corruption Work Release method: Press Releases
Release:2006/12/08
The ex-Secretary for Transport and Public Works, Ao Man Long, was detained at midnight of December 6 by the Commission Against Corruption of Macao, for allegedly receiving bribes. The CCAC also detained another 8 men and 3 women, including some relatives of Ao Man Long. They were suspected of having committed the crimes of giving bribes, receiving bribes and money laundering. All 12 suspects were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office today.
According to source of information, the CCAC suspected that someone had abused his position and power in order to accept bribes. Starting an action of investigation lasting 150 hours since last weekend, the CCAC collected and analyzed a lot of financial documents and started to search some companies, residences and offices the day before yesterday, including the office and official residence of the ex-Secretary. At the same time, the CCAC invited some people to assist in the investigation and arrested a particular group of people, including the general manager, financial chief and accountant of the company contracted for some big construction projects in the last few years. The suspected bribers included a merchant surnamed Ho, a manager surnamed Ieong, an accountant surnamed Leung and some relatives of Ao Man Long.
In the investigation, the CCAC suspected that someone had made use of channels of financial systems outside Macao to clean the corrupt money. With the help of his relatives, he registered some shell companies abroad and cleaned the corrupt money in a secretive and zig-zag way through bank account networks. The Macao CCAC and Hong Kong ICAC co-operated very well and took action through the mutual case assistance and information mechanism. The information from the investigation coincides with other cases under investigation by the Macao CCAC and it is helpful in clarifying the related facts.
The CCAC found more than one hundred thousand patacas (Macao money) and Hong Kong dollars, as well as some contracts of newly bought apartments and other related objects from the drawers of searched offices.
Someone admitted opening bank accounts to operate illegal financial activities during the investigation.
According to the law, when the principle officials of Macao SAR are involved in criminal offences, the Final Court of Appeal will handle the concerned legal proceedings.
The CCAC will continue the investigation and may discover more evidence related to this case.
