I made mistakes, admits ex-graft buster Timothy Tong
Ex-head of anti-corruption agency accused of 'lie after lie' in three-hour grilling by lawmakers as he admits there was maladministration
For the first time since the overspending scandal at the Independent Commission Against Corruption erupted, its former chief Timothy Tong Hin-ming admitted yesterday that he had made mistakes. But he insisted he was an honest man.
Tong's admission came after he was dragged back before the Legislative Council's Public Accounts Committee for a grilling that lasted more than three hours - with lawmakers intent on clarifying inconsistencies between Tong's earlier testimony to them and an independent report on ICAC's spending on entertainment, gifts and official visits.
At the end of it, he was told lawmakers still weren't satisfied and would be calling him back again in a matter of weeks.
Emerging from the session, Tong, who is subject to criminal inquiries over the scandal, said he would give a full account to the public after the case was closed.
"I made mistakes but they were not related to my integrity," he added. "An innocent man always remains so. If a line is drawn today to show the seriousness of my mistakes, I will admit it without hesitation.
"I am sorry for the damage I've brought to the ICAC."
Tong had just conceded to lawmakers that there had been "maladministration" concerning an official trip in which two senior officers who accompanied him to Brazil had upgraded their seats to business class without approval, costing HK$186,000.
