Hong Kong releases murder suspect who triggered protests
THE murder suspect whose case helped spark months of protests in Hong Kong was released from jail yesterday after serving his sentence.
Chan Tong-kai is accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend, Poon Huiwing, 20, while on holiday in Taiwan last year before fleeing to Hong Kong.
By the time her body had been discovered, hidden in a park, Mr Chan had returned home where he later confessed to the crime.
He could not easily be sent to face trial in Taiwan because no formal extradition agreement exists and his case was cited when Hong Kong proposed amending the law. Instead, Mr Chan was charged with the lesser crime of money laundering, and was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Following his release, the 20-yearold said: “I want to say sorry to Poon
Hiu-wing’s family. I am willing to surrender myself to Taiwan and to face trial and serve the jail sentence there.”
Authorities in Hong Kong and Taiwan, however, have yet to agree on how Mr Chan should be transferred to face the murder charges. It is understood a group of informal mediators offered to escort him to Taiwan, although Hong Kong officials did not respond to the proposal.
As his case unfolded Hong Kong launched a proposal in February that would permit extradition to other jurisdictions, including mainland China, Taiwan and Macau.
City leaders said the extradition bill would plug a legal loophole highlighted by Mr Chan’s case.
But the proposal immediately triggered backlash among activists, lawyers, and the business community, over concerns that exposure to China’s arbitrary legal system would weaken Hong Kong’s long-standing autonomy.
Carrie Lam, Hong Kong’s chief executive, formally withdrew the bill yesterday but after months of mass protests, activists have said it is “too little, too late”.
Violence is escalating and demonstrators are calling for an inquiry into the police handling of the protests, along with the resignation of Ms Lam.
While China has publicly thrown its weight behind Ms Lam, it appears that she could be ousted next year. Beijing is considering replacing her with an interim chief executive for the remainder of her term, which will end in 2022, the Financial Times reported yesterday. China has dismissed the claims.