Defence suspected induction and insufficient evidence in cement-coffin murder

At the body-in-cement case trial at The Court of First Instance yesterday, defence barrister Steve Tsui attempted to prove that the defendants were induced by the police as the court awaits possible new evidence.

"Did you ever say (to the defendant) 'I heard you are a fighter, do you want to fight me now'?" Mr. Tsui asked a police officer who investigated this case and is called upon as witness, "and when the defendant asked to see a lawyer, did you ever hear your fellow investigator say 'don't play games with me, you are in a police station, no lawyer can help you now'?"

The officer denied that the above conversation took place, and said that he never heard his fellow investigator make such statement as far as he knows.

Mr. Tsui went on to ask him if he ever punched the forearm of the defendant and heard his fellow investigator suggest that the defendant should "perform well" in a videotaped interview to alleviate his sentence, but Mr. Lee still denied the claims.

The barrister also questioned chief inspector Wesly Tse Tan-sang on the same topic which Mr. Tse said, "I wanted to find out the identity of those involved as soon as possible. It is the duty of the police."

Tse was also interrogated on the process of how he "accompanied" the suspects back to Hong Kong from Taiwan and the procedures of their arrests, which he replied everything strictly abode to the rules and regulations of the police department and suspects were treated fairly.

However, Mr.Tse confirmed that there is no eyewitness to this case, and only circumstantial evidence was present at the initial stage of their arrest.

So far, the three suspects had admitted to "part-taking" the murder of Cheung Man-Li, but none confessed to the deed.

The barrister of the defendant requested a statement from an earlier released suspect testifying the defendants' wrongdoings to be cross-examined.

"Four to five more days would be needed to conclude this case due to possible new evidence," said Mr Justice Li.

Cheung Man-li, 28, was murdered with chloroform then sealed within a wooden box filled with cement before his body was found 25 days later on March 29, 2016. Suspects Tsang Cheung-yan, Lau Keith, and Cheung Sin-hang fled to Taiwan after the incident along with a woman named Ho Ling-yu who was released after being brought back to Hong Kong by the police.

The next hearing is scheduled today at 2.30 pm in High Court.

(HCCC 459/2016)