Former Hong Kong leader Donald Tsang jailed 20 months for misconduct in public office

Hong Kong: Former Hong Kong chief executive Donald Tsang, the highest-ranking ex-official to be charged in the city`s history, was jailed for 20 months on Friday for misconduct in public office.

The sentence brings to an ignominious end what had been a long and stellar career for Tsang in the Asian financial hub before and after the 1997 handover to Chinese rule, and reaffirmed what some observers said was Hong Kong`s strong rule of law in bringing even the most powerful to justice. 

Tsang, famous for his bow ties, was escorted in handcuffs to the court from hospital where he`d been staying since Monday night after experiencing breathing difficulties and chest pains.

Scores of establishment Hong Kong figures including top former officials had wrote letters vouching for Tsang`s good character and longstanding public service over four decades in a bid for mitigation ahead of sentencing. 

The nine-person jury had earlier found Tsang guilty of a charge of misconduct in public office. He had deliberately concealed private rental negotiations with property tycoon Bill Wong Cho-bau while his cabinet discussed and approved a digital broadcasting licence for a now defunct radio company, Wave Media, in which Wong was a major shareholder.

Tsang was acquitted of a second misconduct charge.

His conviction adds to a number of scandals ensnaring powerful officials that have marred the former British colony`s reputation as a relatively corruption-free society.

Tsang`s legal woes looked set to continue, however, with the court saying a retrial would be tentatively set for September for another bribery charge for which jurors failed to return a majority verdict.