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The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) recorded 1,530 suspected corruption complaints in the first eight months of this year, representing a 40 percent surge compared to the same period last year.
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Anti-graft officials attribute the sharp rise primarily to an ongoing influx of complaints concerning building management and maintenance, which skyrocketed by 113 percent following a major fire at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po last year.
Despite the surge in complaints, prosecution figures remained stable.
During this eight-month period, 122 people were prosecuted across 58 cases, which is comparable to last year's figures.
The conviction rates stood at 76 percent when calculated by the number of individuals and 79 percent when analyzed by the number of cases.
Task force uncovers conspiracy and money laundering in major estate repair project
Briefing the Legislative Council’s Panel on Security regarding the five-year plan and policy address initiatives, ICAC Commissioner Danny Woo Ying-ming explained that a dedicated task force was established immediately after the Wang Fuk Court fire.
The team launched a comprehensive investigation into potential corruption surrounding the residential estate's major renovation project, resulting in a series of joint law enforcement actions.
In June, the ICAC charged seven individuals and two companies with a total of 20 offenses, including conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of justice, and tax evasion.
Simultaneously, the police charged three of those individuals and both companies with five counts of manslaughter in connection with the incident, highlighting the severity of the safety and financial breaches uncovered.
Anti-graft agency doubles manpower to tackle building maintenance syndicates
In response to the dramatic rise in misconduct within the property management and maintenance sectors, the ICAC has reshuffled its internal resources to strengthen its enforcement capabilities.
The agency has doubled the number of investigators dedicated to building management and maintenance cases to nearly 100 officers, allowing for earlier intervention strategies.
These enhanced enforcement efforts have already yielded significant results.
Within the first eight months of this year, the ICAC arrested more than 70 people in operations targeting multiple residential estates and buildings across Hong Kong, signaling a strong commitment to rooting out corruption in the housing sector.
