A judge in New York granted Macau property developer Ng Lap Seng this week early release from prison, according to reports by US media and international wire services.
According to the reports, the judge in a Manhattan court rejected the prosecutors’ argument that Ng’s vaccination against the novel coronavirus disease negated the basis to free him.Ng’s lawyer had argued that he should be released early from jail because of the high risk of contracting the novel coronavirus in such a crowded facility.
Ng, 72, has served 34 months of his four-year term following his conviction for bribing two UN ambassadors to win support for a large-scale international conference centre that he planned to build in Macau.
According to the reports, the judge ordered Ng’s “compassionate release” because of his worsening health and arguing that he would be safer in Macau than in a Pennsylvania penitentiary with hundreds of novel coronavirus-infected patients.
The reports said that Ng was expected to be able to return to Macau after receiving his second COVID-19 jab next Friday. He had been eligible for release on December 23, the reports said.
Ng was one of Macau’s best-known property developers at the time of his arrest in the US.
