Elderly inmate dies after alleged assault by cellmate at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre

An 80-year-old inmate has died after being allegedly assaulted by his cellmate in the early hours of Friday morning at Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre. The incident was reported to the police and is now under investigation.

According to the Correctional Services Department, the attack occurred at approximately 3.40am inside a twin-bed cell.

A 49-year-old male person in custody is accused of assaulting his 80-year-old cellmate. Correctional officers on duty immediately intervened, ordered the assailant to stop, and called for reinforcement to separate the two individuals.

The victim was found unconscious following the attack. Officers provided immediate first aid before transferring him to a public hospital for emergency treatment. His condition worsened and he was pronounced dead at around 5am.

The alleged assailant was not injured during the incident.

The Department confirmed that the case has been referred to the police for further investigation.

Both individuals had been sentenced to imprisonment in September 2025. The 80-year-old was serving time for theft, while the 49-year-old was imprisoned for the offence of landing in Hong Kong unlawfully and remaining without the authorization of the Director of Immigration.