A former Sydney councillor who gave evidence against colleagues earlier this week to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has been found dead in his office.
Police confirmed Clifton Wong, who served on Hurstville City Council, was found dead in a building on Deane Street, Burwood, at 1:20pm on Wednesday.
A police spokeswoman said the 62-year-old man's death did not appear to be suspicious and a report would be prepared for the coroner.
The former Labor councillor served on Hurtstville City Council from 1999 to 2012.
He gave evidence on Monday at the ICAC as part of Operation Galley, a public inquiry probing whether three of his former colleagues accepted perks from developers in order to vote in their favour between 2014 and 2021.
Commissioner Stephen Rushton SC is examining whether then Hurstville City and Georges River councillors Con Hindi, Vincenzo Badalati, and Philip Sansom, sought or accepted benefits to dishonestly favour the interests of developers.
Mr Wong was originally named a person of interest in the investigation, but was removed from the list earlier this year.
Mr Wong told the inquiry he saw real estate agent Ching Wah Uy, who goes by "Phillip Yu", hand Mr Hindi an envelope with $10,000 cash inside to support a tender for an upcoming development.
He told the inquiry on Monday he "panicked" and regretted not reporting the incident at the time.
"You don’t see people, you know, giving money like that, you know, on a regular basis or every day ... that was my first time and only time I saw this thing happen," Mr Wong told the inquiry.
"And then I, I, I didn't know how to respond."
Mr Wong also gave evidence before the inquiry over two days in November last year.
ICAC Commissioner Stephen Rushton SC told the inquiry this morning he was "shocked and saddened" by the news.
"Our thoughts are with his family and we extend our deepest sympathy for what has occurred," Mr Rushton said.
A lawyer representing Mr Sansom, who is due to give evidence on Monday, told the inquiry his client may not be able to proceed so soon.
"He has not taken the news very well at all. He is due to be giving evidence on the current schedule on Monday," the lawyer told the court.
"He is not in any fit state, certainly today."
The inquiry was adjourned for the day, to proceed on Monday.
