Killer don tells court of wife's temper bouts

The marriage of former University of Hong Kong academic Cheung Kie-chung and his wife was "happy," but worsened after their children went to secondary school, the high court heard yesterday.

Cheung was appearing before judge Anthea Pang Po-kam on the fourth day of his murder trial. When asked by his lawyer, Graham Harris, if he had killed his wife, Tina Chan Wai-man, 53, on August 17, 2018, Cheung replied "Yes."

The 56-year-old former associate professor of mechanical engineering is pleading not guilty to murder but admits manslaughter. He is also charged with preventing a lawful burial by concealing his wife's body in a box in his office.

Cheung told the court yesterday that he and his wife had a "happy" marriage, but that they started to have more arguments after their son and daughter went to secondary school.

"Our son and daughter would argue with Tina after they began to have their own opinions, and Tina would demand I help her persuade them to her view on things," he said.

Cheung described his wife as cheerful and helpful but having "strong opinions on many things." He added that Chan would lose her temper and scold others if they refused to do as she said.

Cheung also said his wife would stick information about their mortgage payments in their wardrobe and ask him to print his MPF balance sheet and put it on the door.

"Tina asked me to print it and stick it there [on the door] so everyone would know how much money I have when I retire," he said.

Earlier, Harris told the court Cheung was depressed when he killed his wife and that he lost control after being provoked by her that night.

Harris also stated that Cheung had already admitted to killing his wife and lying to his family and police, adding that Cheung is aware what he had done is unforgivable.

Harris also argued that evidence presented by the prosecution showed Cheung had no plan to kill his wife, which explains the fact that he killed Chan in their bedroom, which is next to his son's room, and that Chan's sister was still in the living room.

A "professional and decent man without a criminal record" would never kill his wife suddenly unless he was out of control, Harris said, adding that two psychiatrists who agree Cheung was suffering from depression when he killed his wife would testify later.

Earlier the court also heard that Chan died of hypoxia - inadequate oxygen supply - in the brain after being strangled.

Senior forensic pathologist Lam Wai-kwok testified that a person can lose consciousness after being strangled for several to 30 seconds and can die in three to five minutes.

The trial continues today.