Abby Choi's mother tells court her mind ‘went blank’ after learning of daughter's death

The mother of late Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung told the High Court on Monday that her mind "went blank" after learning of her daughter's death, emphasizing that her testimony was entirely voluntary and had not been coached by police.

The testimony was delivered on the 14th day of the High Court trial into the February 2023 murder and dismemberment of the 28-year-old socialite.

Under re-examination, Choi’s mother, Cheung Yin-fa, recounted that she only learned of her daughter’s death through news reports. She testified that she had been caring for Choi’s children when investigators informed her of the condition of the remains on February 24, 2023.

“My mind went blank when I knew she was gone," she said, adding that she could not eat or sleep and struggled to give a statement.

She said she provided a saliva sample at police request, insisting her testimony was voluntary and not coached by police.

The prosecution noted that Cheung provided eight witness statements in total, primarily detailing Choi’s financial arrangements and security camera footage, with only the statement on February 25 addressing the direct circumstances of the case.

Cheung also told the court she had provided investigators with photographs of her vehicle after it was splashed with red paint to clear her name, adding that she later pointed out an inaccuracy in her own initial testimony after officers inquired about an address at Whampoa Garden.

Family dispute over property

The court was presented with voice recordings from WeChat exchanged between Cheung and Choi in October 2022. In the recordings, Cheung voiced frustration that the Kwong family sought to retain every property despite the heavy living and educational expenses incurred by Choi’s two children.

Cheung described the Kwongs as "thieves" in the messages and stated she was prepared to pursue legal action if they refused to sign the relevant authorization documents.

Following Choi’s death, Cheung and Chris Tam Fong-chun were appointed administrators of her estate, which included a luxury residential unit at Manhattan Hill valued at HK$41 million.

The property was sold for around HK$38 million, first repaying a Citibank mortgage before the remainder was invested. It is heard that two parking spaces were sold for HK$2.4 million and HK$1.2 million.

Jewelry detailed in court

Emphasizing that she had the independent financial means to fund her own lifestyle, Cheung detailed several personal luxury items in court, including a black handbag valued at roughly HK$50,000.

She added that the Birkin bag she brought to court last week was bought by Choi's ex-husband, Alex Kwong Kong-chi, on her behalf, and that a Piaget watch with diamonds and rubies was a gift from Choi.

When questioned about the authenticity of the gemstones, Cheung stated she gratefully accepted whatever gifts her daughter gave her, regardless of whether the stones were genuine.

She added that her diamond bracelets and necklace, bought about 20 years ago, were worth HK200,000 to HK300,000 each, and her earrings over HK$100,000—which the prosecution said showed she had the means to spend.

Cheung told the court that Alex Kwong initially resisted selling the properties and threatened to settle the matter in court before eventually signing the authorization.

She stated that Alex Kwong never showed her his mainland businesses. "He just spent money randomly," she said, adding that he refused to give details whenever she asked.

Red paint incident

A police officer surnamed Ko, who spearheaded the investigation, testified that Cheung contacted him via messaging in February of this year to report that her car had been defaced with red paint.

Ko told the court that Cheung believed the incident was linked to an old financial dispute with a former close friend over mahjong debts.

In her messages to the officer, Cheung stated that both parties had agreed seven years earlier that neither owed the other anything, yet she later received threatening phone calls.

Ko also confirmed that Cheung was advised to conduct a land search after she referenced the Whampoa Garden property on her first day on the witness stand.

Alex Kwong, his brother Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, and their father, Kwong Kau, are jointly charged with the murder of Abby Choi. All three have pleaded not guilty to murder.

Alex and Anthony Kwong have pleaded guilty to a charge of preventing the lawful burial of a body, while Kwong Kau has denied that charge.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓