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A police officer investigating the murder of Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung has denied defense claims that he mishandled DNA evidence and used excessive force when arresting Choi’s ex-husband, Alex Kwong Kong-chi.
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The testimony was heard on the 26th day of the High Court trial over the February 2023 murder and dismemberment of the 28-year-old.
During cross-examination on Thursday, Kwong’s lawyer Andrew Raffell questioned whether the investigator, surnamed Lam, had failed to state in his report that barcode labels were attached to Kwong’s oral swab and saliva samples, or that the samples were placed in tamper-evident evidence bags. The samples were collected after Kwong’s arrest on February 25, 2023.
Lam said established procedures were followed and the barcodes were recorded in separate documents. Including every detail in his statement would have made it unnecessarily lengthy.
Lam acknowledged that it would have been “ideal” to mention the barcodes in the statement, but said the omission had not compromised the samples. He added that neither the exhibits room nor the government laboratory would have accepted unlabelled specimens.
The defense also alleged that Lam had used excessive force during Kwong’s arrest, causing abrasions to the right side of his face. Lam denied the allegation, saying physical restraint had been necessary because Kwong was struggling.
Lam said he had had no prior contact with the other defendants, the crime scene or the vehicles involved before collecting Kwong’s samples. He added that officers receive standard training in criminal investigations to prevent evidence contamination.
Kwong, his father, Kwong Kau, and his elder brother, Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, are jointly charged with Choi’s murder. All three have pleaded not guilty.
Kwong Kau has also pleaded not guilty to preventing Choi’s lawful burial. His two sons pleaded guilty to that charge before the trial.
