Chiang's trial postponed to April

The collegial panel of the Lower Court (TJB) has postponed the trial of local businessman Pedro Chiang, defendant in the corruption case of former secretary Ao Man Long, until April 8. Yesterday, the beginning of the trial – the fifth case linked to the Ao Man Long saga – only lasted around two hours, because as expected, the main defendant Chiang, was not in attendance.
The President of collegial panel, Mario Augusto Silvestre, asked the defendant’s lawyer Joao Miguel Barros why the defendant was not at the trial and was informed that although he had received the judicial notice, the businessman could not attend the trial. “From the beginning, he has showed a willingness to cope with the justice. However, there is a matter of judicial cooperation between Macau and Portugal,” he said.
Chiang now has five working days to explain his absence, after which he will receive official notification that if ignored, will result in the trial proceeding in his absence.
Barros intends to ask for another postponement. The decision concerning this appeal depends on the Court of Second Instance (TSI) and it concerns the validity of the evidence collected by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) at Ao Man Long's house.
Chiang, aged 56, is accused of seven counts of corruption, four of abuse of power and one of money laundering in the corruption scandal of former secretary Ao Man Long. Chiang fled Macau in 2007 before being called to testify by the CCAC.
With an Interpol warrant out for his arrest for more than a year, Peter Chiang, a Portuguese and Cambodian dual national, lived in Cambodia, but since September 14 last year has resided in Lisbon with his wife and son. Chiang has expressed to the Attorney General’s Office his willingness to be investigated and prosecuted by the Portuguese authorities.
In 2001 Portugal and Macau agreed on legal and judicial cooperation which requires each region to report judicial proceedings in criminal matters and to aid in the capture and surrender of suspects. However, the extradition of Portuguese citizens out of the country is only permitted in cases of terrorism and international organised crime.
Prosecutor General of the Macau's Public Prosecutions Office (MP), Ho Chio Meng, recently said that it would be appropriate to hold the trial in Macau before setting in motion an extradition process against the businessman.
Besides Chiang, there are another 12 defendants included in the trial. Out of 13 suspects, four were absent in the courtroom: Pedro Chiang, engineer and brother-in-law of the Ao Man Long's brother Chan Lin Ian, Ao Man Long's wife Camila Chan Meng Ieng and Lei Leong Chi, manager of one of the former secretary's offshore companies.
Former secretary for Transport and Public Works, Ao Man Long, the central figure in a corruption case, has been held since December of 2006 and is currently serving a prison sentence of 28-and-a-half years. He is also awaiting trial on two more charges.