NEW YORK: A U. S. judge on Monday refused to release a former Hong Kong government official on bail while he faces charges that he took part in a scheme to bribe officials in Chad and Uganda in exchange for contracts for a Chinese energy company. Lawyers for Chi Ping
NEW YORK: A U. S. judge on Monday refused to release a former Hong Kong government official on bail while he faces charges that he took part in a scheme to bribe officials in Chad and Uganda in exchange for contracts for a Chinese energy company.
Lawyers for Chi Ping Patrick Ho, 68, had sought to have him released on a US$10 million (£7.16 million) bond and placed under house arrest in Manhattan, subject to electronic monitoring, but U. S. District Judge Katherine Forrest said that was not enough to ensure that Ho would not flee the country. She said Ho’s lawyers were free to make another bail proposal in the future.
Ho’s lawyer, Edward Kim, declined to comment on the ruling.
Ho, a former Hong Kong home affairs secretary, was arrested in November and has pleaded not guilty to charges of violating U. S. foreign corruption law, money laundering and conspiracy.
