Airport ex-manager case ends after death, two acquitted
On.cc · 2 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong’s District Court has acquitted two men charged in a conspiracy case linked to a subcontract on the airport’s third-runway project, while proceedings against a former Airport Authority general manager were terminated after his death in September 2026.
Judge Lily Wong Sze-lai said the prosecution’s case mainly depended on evidence from an immunised witness, but found that witness vague, evasive and not fully truthful, making his testimony unsafe as a basis for conviction.
The case centred on allegations that the former manager helped Tokin Steel Structure Engineering Company Limited secure a subcontract for the supply and installation of a temporary steel platform, and later received about HK$1 million in return.
The court therefore ruled that the prosecution had not met the criminal standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt, and acquitted director Lee Kam-on and Nippon Steel Trading (Hong Kong) general manager Wat Kei-cheung in court.
Key Points
- The three defendants were former Airport Authority general manager Yan Kwok-keung, 62, Tokin Steel director Lee Kam-on, 62, and Nippon Steel Trading (Hong Kong) general manager Wat Kei-cheung, 56.
- The court was told by the ICAC that Yan died of illness on September 19, 2026, so the charge sheet against him was ruled to have no legal effect.
- Prosecutors alleged a site-office meeting in mid-October 2020 led to agreement for Tokin Steel to prepare early for the temporary steel platform works
- The main contractor formally invited Tokin Steel to bid in November 2020; the company later won and completed its portion in May 2021, receiving about HK$39 million
- The prosecution alleged the subcontract was worth more than HK$37 million, and that WeChat messages used “apples” as code for money in discussions over sharing payments.
Why It Matters
The ruling leaves no criminal conviction from a case tied to a high-value subcontract on one of Hong Kong’s biggest infrastructure projects, despite allegations of bribery involving a public body manager and private contractors.
For Hong Kong readers, the judgment underlines how heavily corruption prosecutions can depend on witness credibility, especially when the central evidence comes from an immunised insider witness whose account the court does not accept.