Fugitive arrested in mainland China charged with 1999 murder of newspaper hawker

A 54-year-old man has been brought before a Hong Kong court to face a murder charge in connection with the killing of a newspaper hawker in Sham Shui Po nearly 27 years ago, following his recent capture and transfer from mainland China.

The defendant, Lin, made his first appearance at the Kowloon City Magistrates’ Courts on Monday morning.

He stands accused of the 1999 slaying of Ho Wai-ha, a well-known vendor affectionately referred to by the local community as "Sister Ha."

During the brief court session, no plea was taken from the defendant. The prosecution successfully applied for an adjournment until May 22 to allow the police time to conduct a formal identification parade.

The magistrate ordered that the defendant remain in custody until the next hearing.

The case traces back to September 22, 1999, when the victim was fatally attacked and stabbed outside a restaurant located on Tai Po Road.

Investigators allege that the defendant participated in the murder alongside several other accomplices.

After evading authorities for more than two decades, the suspect was recently apprehended by mainland Chinese officials and handed over to Hong Kong police to face trial for the decades-old crime.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓