Ex-Hong Kong minister Patrick Ho could know as early as Wednesday whether he will be jailed on corruption charges
- Former home affairs secretary exercises right to remain silent, declining to testify on the eight counts of bribery and money laundering he faces
- Veteran criminal lawyer says odds are against Ho given the large amount of evidence presented by prosecution
Former Hong Kong minister Patrick Ho Chi-ping could know as early as Wednesday (US time) whether he will be sent to an American jail on corruption charges.
At his hearing on Monday, Ho, who served as the city’s home affairs minister from 2002 to 2007, exercised his legal right to remain silent and did not testify on the eight counts of bribery and money laundering he faces, sending the trial into its final phase.
Ho is accused of offering US$2.9 million worth of bribes to officials in Chad and Uganda while seeking to secure oil rights, among other benefits, for Shanghai-based energy conglomerate CEFC China Energy. He previously pleaded not guilty to all eight counts.
Lawyers from both sides will make their closing summaries on Tuesday, and the jury is expected to start deliberating on the case the following day. The verdict could be ready by as early as the end of Wednesday.
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On Monday, New York Southern District Court senior judge Loretta Preska asked Ho if he understood that he could decide to take the stand or not under US law.
