SINGAPORE: The trial of the former husband and in-laws of slain Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi, whose severed head was found in a soup pot in 2023, is set to begin on Sept 21.
The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported on Sept 20 that the city’s High Court will hold the first trial hearing on Sept 21 for parties to settle preliminary issues.
Jury selection will follow later in the week, with the prosecution delivering its opening statement after.
Choi’s former husband, Alex Kwong Kong-chi, 31, his father, Kwong Kau, 68, and elder brother Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, 35, will stand trial on a joint count of murder, Hong Kong media reported. They are also charged with preventing the lawful burial of Choi’s body.
Alex Kwong was sentenced to a 3½ year prison term in June 2024 for theft and jumping bail.
SCMP’s report also said that Hong Kong’s Department of Justice has engaged Senior Counsel Charlotte Draycott to head the prosecution in the trial, which could run until December.
It added that the Kwongs will be represented by seasoned barristers Andrew Raffell, Oliver Davies and Trevor Beel, with Deputy Judge Brian Keith to preside.
A live broadcast of the trial will be arranged to accommodate the large number of expected attendees, SCMP said.
The grisly details of the case attracted worldwide media attention.
Choi, who was 28 at the time of her death, was the scion of a wealthy family reportedly involved in the construction industry. She had a personal net worth of over HK$100 million (S$12.75 million), according to Hong Kong media.
As a model, she had taken part in Paris Fashion Week and appeared in fashion publications like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Elle.
In 2023, her head and several body parts were found in a large soup pot in a rented village house in Tai Po, a suburb in Hong Kong, days after she was reported missing. Her legs were discovered inside a freezer in the house.
Previous reports quoted the Hong Kong police as saying that a property dispute may have been a motive for the murder. - The Straits Times/ANN
