| A 51-year-old former official of Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) -Secretary for Public Works and Transport Ao Man Long has been sentenced to 27 years in jail by the Court of Final Appeal of Macau SAR. He has been charged with multiple transgressions, including 41 counts of corruption, 30 counts of money laundering, two counts of abuse of power, and one count each of false statement, unexplained wealth and illicit business activities. He was accused of accumulating over US $100 million between 2002 and 2006 by taking kickbacks for at least 41 public works and private development projects, including casino projects.
The prosecutor alleged that the money was deposited in off- shore shell companies when Ao Man Long was still serving as the secretary for transport and public works and before he was detained by the Commission against Corruption in early December of 2006.
Moreover, the court also ruled that assets worth US $31 million proven to have been illicitly acquired by Ao Man Long, including an estate in London worth £5,000,000.00, are to be confiscated by the authorities of Macau.
The lawyer of Ao Man Long has already expressed his general consent with the trial’s decision, however noticing that the sentence was still too heavy for his client. Nevertheless, as was announced by the Court of Final Appeal, Macao’s present-day judicial system would not allow appealing against any of its sentences.
At the time being, the trial of Ao Man Long’s four family members also involved into his illegal business affairs is held at the Court of First Instance.
A press release issued last week by Macao's Anti-Corruption Commission indicates that the verdict delivered by the court reflects the seriousness of the crimes committed by Ao Man Long; the Commission intends to keep on investigating other cases involving the accused former official.
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