(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-02-18 15:47

MACAO - The trial of four family members and three "business associates" of Ao Man Long, former secretary of Macao Special Administration Region (SAR) who were convicted of corruption, continued on Monday.

Ao's father Ao Veng Kong, wife Chan Meng Ieng, brother Ao Man Fu and his sister-in-law Ao Chan Wa Choi, are charged with six to 14 counts of money laundering activities after allegedly helped Ao receiving bribes from businessmen Ho Meng Fai, Chan Tong Sang and Frederico Nolasco da Silva.

The trial in The Court of First Instance of the SAR, started on January 14 and after three weeks of hearing, was postponed due to the Chinese New Year holiday.

Prosecutor alleged that the money was laundered through manipulating a large number of bank accounts set up in the United Kingdom and China's Hong Kong and Macao and five off-shore shell companies.

Ao Man Long, former SAR Secretary for Public Works and Transport, was sentenced to 27 years in jail by The Court of Final Appeal of the SAR. The 51-year-old official is convicted of 57 of the 76 charges, which include corruption, money laundering, abuse of power and related crimes.

Among the seven suspects called in for the trial, Chan Meng Ieng and Ho Meng Fai allegedly absconded abroad, and the SAR's Commission Against Corruption has requested an issuance of red notices by the Interpol seeking for the two suspects at large.

The 81-year-old Ao Veng Kong, who owned various accounts in five different banks in Hong Kong under the management authorization from Ao Man Long, has denied any wrongdoing, by saying that he assumed those bank accounts were set up to help keep his son's "private money" without letting his wife Chan Meng Ieng know.

In the meantime, Ao Man Fu also claimed that he had never doubted his older brother Ao Man Long in helping set up bank accounts.