JULIE CHU JULIE.CHU@SCMP.COM
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 22 July, 2015, 3:38pm
UPDATED : Wednesday, 22 July, 2015, 4:27pm
Former Ming Pao chief editor Kelvin Lau arrives at the High Court on Wednesday. Photo: Sam Tsang
Two knifemen were offered HK$100,000 each to attack the editor of a Hong Kong Chinese-language newspaper, the Court of First Instance heard this morning.
Yip Kim-wah and Wong Chi-wah, both 38, allegedly drove a stolen motorcycle to follow former Ming Paochief editor Kevin Lau Chun-to from his home in Kowloon Tong on the morning of February 26 last year.
Yip, who drove the vehicle, stopped the bike near Lau’s car at Tai Hong Street, Sai Wan Ho. Wong then got off and chopped Lau with knives on his back, shoulder and legs. Lau suffered deep cuts to his back and legs.
The pair deny one joint count of causing grievous bodily harm and a count of theft alleging they stole the motorcycle. Yip faces one more count of stealing a vehicle licence.
Prosecutor Nicholas Adams said in the opening speech that the attack was planned around the Lunar New Year.
The motorcycle used in the incident was stolen earlier in February last year, he alleged. “This is the earlier planning of the case,” Adams said.
He said the motorcycle’s number plate was changed. The pair also followed Lau for a period of time.
The prosecutor said an investigation found the motorcycle went to the Sai Wan Ho area – where Lau often went to eat breakfast – on the day before the attack.
The vehicle circulated around the area three times on February 25 last year. Adams said the two accused were looking for Lau and wanted to chop him that day.
But Lau changed his plan and did not go to the restaurant he usually went to that day.
The two defendants followed Lau from his home in the morning the next day and attacked him when he got out of his car.
The pair fled to mainland China on the same day. They were arrested on the mainland and handed over to Hong Kong police on March 17 last year.
Under caution Yip told police: “I received money from someone to do the job. I was only responsible for driving the vehicle. It was [Wong] who did the chopping.”
Wong, meanwhile, told an officer: “When I slashed at him, I did not know it was [Kevin] Lau Chun-to. I did not know it would turn out to be such a mess.”
The trial continues before Madam Justice Esther Toh Lye-ping this afternoon.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1842786/hitmen-offered-hk100000-each-chop-former-ming-pao-chief
