When mentioning the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), many people will think of lines from many Hong Kong film and television works: "Hello, we are ICAC", "The ICAC is investigating the case and it is not convenient to disclose it", "The ICAC invites you to drink coffee"...

　　As of February 15 this year, the ICAC has celebrated its 50th anniversary. Why was this organization established half a century ago? Since its establishment, how has it gradually become the “golden brand” of anti-corruption in Hong Kong today?

On February 15, members of the public passed by the ICAC headquarters building of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Java Road, Hong Kong. That day marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Photo by China News Service reporter Hou Yu

The first task of the ICAC: the corruption case of foreign Chief Superintendent Gerber

　　In the 1960s and 1970s, corruption was a serious problem in Hong Kong. In the civil service team, regardless of their position, most civil servants are involved in using power for personal gain. Corruption is particularly serious in the police force. Police officers who take bribes cover up various illegal crimes such as pornography, gambling, and drugs.

　　Hong Kong citizens suffer from corruption everywhere in their lives. Ambulance workers asked patients for tea money before taking them to the hospital, and patients had to tip hospital employees to get boiled water or bedpans. Even when waiting for public housing, applying for school, or various public services, you have to bribe relevant officials.

　　Public dissatisfaction reached a boiling point in 1973 when the foreign superintendent Gerber was involved in the corruption case.

　　This year, the corrupt official Gerber successfully absconded and returned to his hometown in the UK via Singapore. The news immediately spread throughout Hong Kong. Hong Kong citizens, who had already suffered from the scourge of corruption, were furious upon hearing the news, and their confidence in the anti-corruption work of the British Hong Kong government fell to a new low. Citizens from all walks of life took to the streets to protest, with slogans of "anti-corruption, catch Gerber" one after another.

　　In order to quell public outrage, in October 1973, the British Hong Kong government decided to establish the Independent Commission Against Corruption, which was independent of the Police Force and other government departments, in February of the following year. It was dedicated to combating corruption and immediately took over the investigation of the Gerber case. This case was also the first case handled by the ICAC after its establishment.

　　In the end, Gerber was found guilty of conspiracy to commit corruption and accepting bribes and was sentenced to four years in prison.

On February 15, members of the public took photos at the logo of the ICAC headquarters of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Java Road, Hong Kong. That day marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Independent Commission Against Corruption of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Photo by China News Service reporter Hou Yu

Over the years, those cases

　　Since its establishment, the ICAC has handled a number of corruption cases that have had a significant impact on Hong Kong's anti-corruption history. Most of the corruption cases involved government departments and public institutions.

Yau Ma Tei fruit farm case

　　In March 1975, drug trafficking groups began to emerge in the fruit column area. In May 1976, the Industrial and Commercial Department arrested several people suspected of being responsible for drug packaging near the fruit fence and seized the drugs. They were charged with drug possession. On August 10 of the same year, the police carried out operations in many places across Hong Kong, seized a large amount of drugs, and arrested many people. Three suspects in the case alleged that law enforcement officers suspected corruption and sought assistance from the Office of the Independent Commission Against Corruption of the Hong Kong Governor, which opened the curtain to the incident.

　　From February to May 1977, the ICAC carried out multiple operations and arrested many law enforcement officers involved in the case. In September, the ICAC launched another operation and successively detained 87 police officers suspected of accepting bribes. In October, the police gathered to protest against the ICAC's investigation of police officers, and then submitted a petition against the ICAC to the then Commissioner of Police. About 40 police officers went to the ICAC Enforcement Division headquarters to express their dissatisfaction. In November, the then Hong Kong Governor issued a partial amnesty order, announcing that civil servants who had committed corruption before January 1, 1977 without prosecution could be pardoned, and the conflict was calmed down.

　　In September 1978, the collective corruption case was tried in three cases. One person was at large and 26 people were charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice; 18 people were convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 1 year and 7 months to 5 years.

Corruption cases in 26 public housing estates

　　On January 9, 1981, the ICAC received a tip-off that two public housing estates built in 1971 had structural problems. Later investigations revealed that a total of 729 buildings built by the British Hong Kong government and public institutions were found to have structural problems. Among them, 26 are in immediate danger of collapse because their structures are far below safety standards and need to be demolished and rebuilt as soon as possible.

　　The ICAC investigated 3,000 people or companies within a year, but made no breakthrough. It was not until early 1987 that two people involved in the case were willing to serve as tainted witnesses, which became the key to solving the case. In the case, 3 contractors and 7 current and former British Hong Kong government officials were charged with corruption. On March 11, 1988, one of the persons involved was convicted of a total of 6 bribery charges and was jailed for 33 months and fined 325,000. Hong Kong dollar. Another contractor was found guilty on two counts and was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for one year and fined HK$4,000.

Jianing Group Fraud Case

　　The Jianing case was a corruption and fraud case in the 1980s involving the former Hong Kong-listed company Jianing Group and its senior executives. It was the largest commercial crime case in Hong Kong's history.

　　The Jia Ning case was revealed in July 1983 during the investigation of a case involving the murder of an auditor of Yue Min Finance (locally known as "Bumiputera Finance" in Malaysia), which caused a sensation. Since the case involves overseas financial institutions, Hong Kong ICAC officers need to travel to eight countries to investigate. The case began on February 24, 1986, and the trial lasted 281 days, setting a record for the longest trial in Hong Kong.

Bribery Case of Senior Legal Officials

　　In August 1989, the ICAC received a tip-off that a senior official in the Legal Department of the British Hong Kong Government with an annual salary of about HK$500,000 had increased his wealth by more than HK$1 million between 1986 and 1987.

　　The official was in his forties at the time and was known as one of the "Four Kings" of the Department of Justice. He had handled countless major business cases. Since the official was handling several major commercial cases when the report was received, in order to prevent the cases he was responsible for from being affected by it, ICAC officers obtained preliminary evidence and went to the official's residence in Hong Kong at the end of October 1989 to arrest him. Two private practice lawyers suspected of bribing the official were also arrested.

　　During the trial of the case, the official used his legal knowledge to set up numerous hurdles to hinder the ICAC's investigation and jumped bail to abscond. The case aroused such great repercussions that even the British Parliament at the time sent a letter to the British Hong Kong government expressing great concern and requesting the British Hong Kong government to ensure that the then Legal Department handled the case impartially.

　　After more than two years of judicial tug-of-war, the official finally escaped the law and was sanctioned, becoming the most senior government lawyer ever imprisoned in Hong Kong.

The picture shows citizens taking photos in front of the ICAC coffee cup model. Photo by China News Service reporter Li Zhihua

Both hunting tigers and swatting flies

　　In fact, in addition to investigating major and important cases, the ICAC also investigates detailed cases involving people's livelihood.

　　Nowadays, on the official website of the Independent Commission Against Corruption, you can see news like this from time to time: a security guard was prosecuted for bribing his boss with a 4,000 Hong Kong dollar red envelope to get his favorite position, a parent was prosecuted for bribing the principal of an elementary school to get a place for his child to enter the school, and a postman was prosecuted for using a fake parking lot He was prosecuted for allowing free use of the parking lot of a government office... The ICAC is still "careful" about these "little things", which is enough to testify to its determination to fight corruption.

　　Since its establishment half a century ago, the ICAC has been combating corruption with a "three-pronged approach" of law enforcement, prevention and education, passing on the anti-corruption concept to every citizen.

　　As a result, Hong Kong has successfully "transformed" from a city where corruption was rampant in the past to a clean city today, and has become an internationally renowned anti-corruption pioneer. The ICAC's anti-corruption work has been highly praised internationally.

　　After 50 years of hard work, the ICAC’s half-century anti-corruption history continues to illuminate Hong Kong’s path to integrity. The 50 years of trials and hardships have witnessed the ICAC’s determination to fear no power and defend a clean society.