Prosecutor describes HKU professor a "Calm and cold-blooded killer”

Prosecutors have suggested that former HKU academic Cheung Kie-chung had calmly strangled his wife to death after their row over money.

The 56-year-old former associate professor of mechanical engineering had pleaded not guilty to murder but admits manslaughter, after Chan Wai-man died in their bedroom on August 17, 2018.

He told the court that he was triggered to kill his wife over a dispute about orange juice and their daughter leaving the house late that night. He said he was also insulted repeatedly during the quarrel.

The prosecution dismissed his claims, saying Cheung killing his wife is like “doing one of his engineering experiments.”

The prosecution also suggested that Cheung had murdered his wife because he was angry with her for depositing the HK$4 million cheque without his consent, which Cheung wrote her earlier.

Cheung earlier testified that his wife had asked him to write her three cheques totaling HK$16.7 million as proof that he owed her money, but he didn’t actually have the funds to honor the cheques.

Prosecutors alleged that Cheung feared that his wife would cash the other two cheques as well, therefore taking the initiative to kill her.

They said Cheung was totally conscious when strangling his wife, which he used pliers to tighten the electric wires with a knot, in order to make sure it will choke her to death.

Cheung vehemently denied all the claims, saying he lost control and could not recall how everything happened.

He also choked himself with sobs when prosecutors asked if he would become the sole owner of the five properties belonging to him and his wife.

"It doesn't matter who owns the flats now. She is dead now," he said.

Cheung completed his testimony and his children were the next to testify.