jasdooit

The remains of Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi were kept in two pots and a refrigerator following the dismemberment of her body in a village apartment in 2023, according to testimony at the city’s High Court.

On October 30, her former father-in-law, Kwong Kau, changed his plea to guilty on the charge of obstructing the lawful burial of her body—previously denied—and was found guilty by the jury under the judge’s guidance, while he and his two sons maintain their innocence regarding murder.HK01 reported.

Kwong, a 68-year-old retired police officer, is being tried alongside his sons, Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, 35, and Alex Kwong Kong-chi, Choi’s ex-husband, who is 31. Both sons had previously pleaded guilty to the charge of preventing her burial prior to the trial’s commencement in late September.

Choi, aged 28, went missing on February 21, 2023. Some of her remains were discovered on February 24 in a 600-square-foot rented flat located in Lung Mei village, Tai Po.

Detective Constable Chan Wai-hung informed the court that police forced entry into the flat after identifying a white Toyota Alphard parked outside as the vehicle linked to Choi’s disappearance on the day she vanished.South China Morning Post reported.

Chan recounted an overpowering scent of air freshener, reminiscent of public restrooms, upon entering the premises. All windows in the flat were entirely obscured with black tape.

During the trial, it was revealed that officers discovered a plastic container holding a wooden chopping board and what appeared to be human remains in a bedroom wrapped in blue plastic sheets. Later, Chan located Choi’s remains inside two garbage bags stored in a refrigerator in the living area.

Authorities also confiscated two soup pots; one was later confirmed during a forensic examination at a public mortuary to contain parts of Choi’s remains.

During cross-examination, Chan maintained he did not interfere with any evidence and asserted that the four colleagues who were present during the search had not disturbed anything.

Senior government chemist Tam Cheok-ning, an expert in tool mark analysis, stated that the cut mark found on Choi’s body matched the blade of one of the two electric saws recovered from the apartment.

Prosecutors claim that Choi got into the Alphard, which was driven by Anthony Kwong, on February 21, under the impression that he would take her to Pak Shek Kok to pick up her eight-year-old daughter from school. Alex Kwong is alleged to have sat beside her in the back seat and struck her on the head with a hammer while en route.

A 1-pound ball-peen hammer was seized from the village flat three days after the incident, and a hardware store employee from Kowloon City confirmed it was the same tool sold to Anthony Kwong on February 15. Forensic examination revealed no detectable traces of Choi’s DNA on the hammer.The Standard reported.

Abby Choi in Hong Kong on February 11, 2023, ten days prior to her disappearance. Photo by AP

Prosecutors argue that the murder originated from a family dispute concerning the planned sale of a HK$72 million (US$9.2 million) property located in the upscale Kadooria estate in Ho Man Tin.

Kwong Kau, Choi’s father-in-law and the flat’s official owner, allegedly opposed her attempts to sell the property and reportedly enlisted his two sons to carry out the killing and dispose of her body.

The court heard that he signed a power of attorney on November 7, 2022, granting Choi authority to negotiate the sale after her mother threatened legal action. Two property agents Choi contacted in November 2022 and February 2023 testified that she was keen to sell the flat and that no potential buyers had shown interest before her death.

A written statement provided by Alex Kwong’s friend and former business associate, Herman Ng, painted a picture of Kwong’s seemingly wealthy lifestyle in mainland China, where he was residing while avoiding legal action in Hong Kong related to a HK$6.3 million theft allegation.

On November 2, during the resumption of the trial, the court viewed CCTV footage showing Kwong Kau examining and purchasing a used refrigerator at an electronics store on February 17, 2023—four days prior to Choi’s disappearance.HK01 reported.