HONG KONG (REUTERS) - Hong Kong's Department of Justice on Thursday gave the prosecution office authority to handle the investigation of a business payout to Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying to avoid any perception of bias.

The move came after the Democratic Party said it had asked the Independent Commission Against Corruption to investigate Mr Leung over a US$6.4 million (S$8 million) payment he got from an Australian engineering company while he was in office.

The department said part of the brief included "considering and deciding whether prosecution action is warranted".