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Son of jailed Hong Kong tycoon Thomas Kwok says father was careless, clumsy but not corrupt

Property executive claims billionaire father had no way to know former chief secretary would fail to declare what could have been legitimate payment

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Adam Kwok Kai-fai, son of former Sun Hung Kai Properties co-chairman Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong, outside the Court of Final Appeal in Central on Wednesday. Photo: David Wong

The son of jailed Hong Kong property tycoon Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong launched an emotional defence of his father on Wednesday, saying the billionaire did not have a “shred of intent to be corrupt”.

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Speaking outside the Court of Final Appeal after it dismissed his father’s appeal against his conviction for conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office, Sun Hung Kai Properties executive director Adam Kwok Kai-fai insisted the elder Kwok was only guilty of carelessness and clumsiness.

Thomas Kwok is serving a five-year prison term for bribing former chief secretary Rafael Hui Si-yan.

“You can say he, my father, is careless, he is clumsy or he is overgenerous. But I know he has not a single shred of intent to be corrupt,” he said, adding that he felt helpless.

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There was no way, he said, for his father to know Hui would fail to declare what could have been a legitimate payment from Thomas Kwok – though that payment was now deemed corrupt.

You can say he, my father, is careless, he is clumsy or he is overgenerous. But I know he has not a single shred of intent to be corrupt
Adam Kwok Kai-fai, son of Thomas Kwok Ping-kwong
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