Ex-guard faces stiff term for horrific MTR murder

A former security guard was convicted of murder and wounding his ex-colleague who was working at an ATM facility in Tseung Kwan O MTR station.

Cheung Man-kong, 34, was convicted by a high court jury - consisting of six women and one man - and will be sentenced today as judge Johnny Chan Jong-herng said he needed time to consider mitigation letters submitted by the defense yesterday.

The defense lawyer also told the court that "Cheung understood he had to bear the legal consequences for his actions but hoped the court could order his sentences for both offenses to run concurrently."

The court earlier heard that Cheung, who became a bus driver after leaving the company, killed his 34-year-old ex-colleague Lee Wing-ho and wounded Lee's colleague, Lau Po-wing, at the ATM facility on September 1, 2020.

Cheung pleaded not guilty to murder, but agreed to plead guilty to manslaughter, which was rejected by the prosecution.

The court was told that Cheung, a secondary five graduate, was suffering from depression and had served an 80-hour community service order for common assault in 2019.

"Cheung and Lee were colleagues at Guardforce Hong Kong before leaving the company in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Lee rejoined the company less than a year later and continued to take part in jobs that required him to escort cash assignments to ATMs, the court was told.

Cheung treated Lee as his mentor and friend before their friendship ended due to a misunderstanding.

However, Cheung could not get over their quarrel and would occasionally resort to self-mutilation to relieve stress.

Two days before the murder, when Lee was in a company vehicle that stopped at a Argyle Street traffic light in Mong Kok, Cheung suddenly appeared in front of the vehicle and punched its windows while yelling at Lee.

Cheung said he saw Lee staring at him in an "unfriendly" way during that encounter, and therefore bought a knife at a store near his home in Shun Tin Estate, Kwun Tong, that same day, but claimed that he had planned to use it only to defend himself, instead of planning to kill Lee.

On the day of the murder, Cheung went to work as usual, and went home in the afternoon to change and also put on a mask and a cap and brought along a backpack.

He went to Lok Fu station after leaving home and wandered around the vicinity, before heading toward Tseung Kwan O station, and took out the knife from the backpack to slash Lee in the neck after seeing him at work at the ATMs.

Lee's two colleagues tried to stop Cheung from escaping but he punched one of Lee's colleagues, Lau, and fled before being caught by police and bystanders.

Lee was declared dead at Tseung Kwan O Hospital.