Forensic expert details saw marks on Abby Choi's remains as murder trial continues

Cut marks found on the pelvic remains of murdered model Abby Choi Tin-fung were consistent with those made by an electric saw, a government forensic scientist testified on Friday as the high-profile trial entered its 23rd day in the High Court.

Dr. Tam Cheok-ning, a senior chemist in the Physical Science Section of the Forensic Science Division at the Government Laboratory, told the court that tool marks observed on the victim's pelvic bones matched test cuts produced by an electric saw of the same brand recovered from the crime scene. 

He explained that manual saws typically produce straight, densely spaced, and parallel striations, whereas an electric circular saw leaves slightly curved marks that are less dense due to mechanical vibrations during operation.

Analysis of severed bones and cutting tools

Addressing questions from the prosecution regarding the victim's completely severed spinal column, Dr. Tam noted that two distinct sections showed clear signs of being cut with an instrument. 

He testified that the cuts were likely inflicted by a saw rather than a manual hand saw, explaining that slight vibrations from handling a powered circular saw leave curved marks on bone surfaces. 

He added that soft tissues and cartilage shift during cutting, which prevents clear, distinctive tool impressions from forming on those areas.

Regarding the separation between the victim's left and right pelvic bones, Dr. Tam told the court that gaps visible at the joint connections indicated the pelvis could have been separated by sawing or by blunt force trauma from a hard object, such as a hammer. 

He noted that in the absence of distinctive tool markings at those specific joints, the precise implement could not be definitively determined, though he confirmed that a large kitchen cleaver or an electric saw could also have been capable of separating the bones.

Cross-examination over storage boxes and procedural details

During cross-examination, defense counsel Oliver Davies, representing former father-in-law Kwong Kau, questioned Dr. Tam regarding the visibility through stacked transparent plastic storage boxes matching those linked to the case. 

Dr. Tam agreed that visibility would be slightly blurred. When Davies suggested that someone attempting to conceal a body would unlikely choose transparent boxes, Dr. Tam replied that he had no experience storing human bodies and had not considered the matter from that perspective.

Under re-examination by the prosecution, Dr. Tam confirmed that stacking two such plastic containers together, as shown in closed-circuit television footage from the scene, would reduce overall transparency compared to a single box. Dr. Tam concluded his testimony following the exchange.

Defendants face murder and unlawful burial charges

The trial centers on the alleged killing and dismemberment of the 28-year-old socialite in February 2023. Her former husband Alex Kwong Kong-chi, former brother-in-law Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, and former father-in-law Kwong Kau are jointly charged with one count of murder and one count of preventing the lawful burial of a body.

The charges allege that the three men murdered Choi on February 21, 2023, inside the ground-floor unit of a village house at 56B Lung Mei, Ting Kok Road, Tai Po, and subsequently prevented the lawful burial of her body between February 21 and February 23. 

All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to murder. Anthony Kwong and Alex Kwong have admitted the charge of preventing lawful burial, while Kwong Kau denies that count.

The trial is being conducted in English before Deputy High Court Judge Brian Keith. The prosecution is led by external Senior Counsel Charlotte Draycott, together with Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Gary Leung Yuk-hang, Senior Public Prosecutors Human Lam Hiu-man and Gabriel Ng Hay-lok, and Public Prosecutor Herman Wan Pui-hin. Anthony Kwong is represented by barrister Trevor Beel, Kwong Kau by Oliver Davies, and Alex Kwong by Andrew Raffell.

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