Hong Kong property tycoon sentenced to 5 years in prison for corruption

HONG KONG – A Hong Kong court has sentenced a billionaire property developer to five years in prison for corruption after a high-profile trial.

The city's Justice Department said the High Court sentenced Thomas Kwok Tuesday after finding him guilty of conspiracy for making HK$8.5 million ($1.1 million) in payments to city official Rafael Hui. The court also fined Kwok HK$500,000 ($64,000).

The Justice Department said the court sentenced Hui to 7 ½ years in prison after convicting him of misconduct and conspiracy to commit misconduct in public office. At the time of the offenses, Hui was Hong Kong's No. 2 public official.

Kwok and his brother are joint chairmen of Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. and have overseen the construction of some of the city's landmark buildings.