Commission Against Corruption, Macao SAR

Having detected a case of alleged passive bribery involving a former leader of the Land, Public Works and Transport Bureau (DSSOPT) recently, the CCAC took investigative action in a case of alleged passive bribery and money laundering involving another former leader of the DSSOPT and referred the case to the Public Prosecutions Office for follow-up.

The investigation revealed that the former leader allegedly received advantages including huge sums of money and immovable properties and allegedly abused his power during his tenure by committing illicit acts during the vetting and approval processes for the applications for construction project permits made by the businesspersons involved. Knowing that some pending projects went against the administrative instructions issued by the authority or the relevant procedures, the former leader still abused his power by drastically changing the original street alignment plans and then issuing the revised ones, issuing the construction works licences by way of exception and granting approval for adjustment of the content of the works with special burden, so that the developers could maximise the profits they would gain from the projects.

In the course of investigation, it was also found that the former leader allegedly received advantages including huge sums of money and immovable properties from the businesspersons through his relatives and friends in a circuitous way. The acts of the former leader have allegedly constituted passive bribery to perform illicit acts and money laundering; while the businesspersons involved and relevant individuals have allegedly committed active bribery and money laundering respectively.

The former leader and the relevant relatives have hid in places outside the territory for a long time to evade investigation and have not yet come back to Macao. A number of their immovable properties have previously been seized by the relevant agency.