The investigation is also examining whether the three councilors did not deliberately declare a conflict of interest arising from their relations with developers Philip Uy, Wensheng Liu and Yuqing Liu.
In his June 28 trial, Wong said he saw Uy give Hindi an envelope containing $ 10,000 in exchange for favoring his offer and Liu’s to buy a municipally owned car park on Gloucester Road in Hurstville. in 2012.
On Monday, under interrogation, Wong said he had not told anyone about the incident because he panicked.
“I didn’t know how to respond. I wish I had reported it then, but I didn’t, and now I regret it. [it]”He said.
“This kind of thing, I know very well that it’s not only immoral, it’s illegal,” Wong said.
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The investigation heard that Wong had been identified as a person of interest, along with Sansom, Badalati and Hindi, for allegedly “exercising [his] official functions dishonestly ”when the ICAC investigation began in November.
Wong told the witness box that he realized he was no longer a person of interest when he read a “research list” on the commission’s website when the investigation began a few weeks ago.
Stanton said Wong should return to the ICAC consultation at a later date.
“He was brave about the evidence he gave to the commission that was on the public record,” Stanton said.
“He was, as far as I was concerned, an honorable man.”
Legal representatives of the investigation witnesses conveyed their condolences to Wong’s family at the start of Friday’s hearing.
Commissioner Stephen Rushton described Wong’s death as a tragedy and said he was “surprised and saddened”.
“Our thoughts are with his family and we are our deepest condolences for what has happened.”
Philip Uy’s lawyers said his client felt unable to continue his trial on Friday and that in Chinese culture it would be a disrespect to Wong’s memory if he did. He apologized until next week.
Sansom’s lawyer also said his client, who was due to testify Monday, may not be ready to continue.
Rushton said the investigation should be postponed until next week. It will resume on Tuesday.
“I sympathize with everyone’s position on this, but there is also a public interest in resolving this investigation quickly,” he said.
Rushton urged witnesses and their attorneys to use the commission’s employee assistance program, which he said was available to anyone whose health and safety could be at risk due to an investigation. .
The ICAC has been contacted for comment.