The Independent Commission Against Corruption received 3,932 graft complaints last year, down 2% on 2011.

Announcing the results of the ICAC’s 2012 Annual Report at the Legislative Council today, member of the council and the Advisory Committee on Corruption Christopher Chung said among the complaints, 74% were made by people who identified themselves, and 75% could be further pursued.

Although graft complaints against government departments increased 7% to 1,192, Mr Chung said there was no sign of a resurgence of syndicated corruption.

Corruption complaints involving public bodies increased 12% to 257 but the number of prosecutions remained relatively low, he said.

Private sector corruption complaints decreased 7% to 2,483.

The commission’s special election taskforce investigated 1,604 complaints alleging vote-rigging in relation to the 2011 District Council Election. While 55 people were prosecuted, investigations did not reveal evidence of rampant vote planting, he said.

ICAC Commissioner Simon Peh said his officers are committed to striving for effective law enforcement in the face of modern challenges.

On the law-enforcement front, the person-based and case-based conviction rates in 2012 were 78% and 84%.

To provide support to investigators dealing with increasingly sophisticated financial fraud cases facilitated by corruption, the ICAC Operations Department’s Forensic Accounting Group conducted examinations of 85 cases in connection with over 21,594 transactions during the year, with an aggregate sum of approximately $4.8 billion.

The Computer Forensic Section processed 120 terabytes of data contained in digital devices seized in investigations.

The ICAC Complaints Committee also submitted its annual report to the Legislative Council today.

In 2012, the committee received 19 complaints comprising 57 allegations against the ICAC and its officers. Fifty-three per cent were related to misconduct, 28% neglect of duties, and 14% abuse of power, while the remaining 5% related to inadequacies in ICAC procedures.

The committee considered investigation reports on 22 complaints comprising 66 allegations. Two allegations in two complaints, involving a different ICAC officer in each case, were found to be substantiated. The two officers have been given appropriate advice.