Macao's biggest corruption trial opened yesterday with the court hearing charges that a former top official had taken millions of dollars in kickbacks to speed up construction of the gaming haven's multibillion dollar casinos.

Former secretary for transport and public works Ao Man-long faces 76 counts of corruption, including accepting bribes, laundering money and abuse of power and shining a spotlight on the crime feeding off Macao's boom.

Ao has not entered a plea in the trial which is expected to involve more than 90 witnesses and last over a month.

Ao is the most senior official to be tried since the former Portuguese enclave returned to the Chinese rule in 1999.

Anti-graft officers and prosecutors said they had evidence he had amassed a fortune of about US$100 million - over 57 times his income over seven years as a top policy secretary - after raids on his home and offices unearthed a web of offshore firms and bank accounts through which he funnelled funds.

The president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal, Sam Hou Fai, told reporters Ao and associates had set up shell companies in the British Virgin Islands and bank accounts in Hong Kong. Cases involving Macao government officials charged with crimes related to their work are heard by the highest court.

Ao offered to use his influence to grease the approval process for local developers and contractors on numerous projects, including one involving the US$2.4 billion Venetian Macao resort, and helped developers snag contracts in open tenders in return for kickbacks, he said.

In past years, Macao has flung its doors open to Las Vegas gaming giants including Wynn Resorts Ltd and the Las Vegas Sands Corp, which built the Venetian Macao, turning it into the world's largest gaming hub.

Some US$24 billion has been earmarked for infrastructure and building the Cotai strip - reclaimed land where casinos, hotels, malls and convention halls are springing up.

Reuters

(HK Edition 11/06/2007 page6)