Head of slain model found in soup pot

Police found the missing head and some ribs of model Abby Choi Tin-fung yesterday - two days after her horrific death was discovered in a Tai Po village house.

Her former husband and three former in-laws have been charged with murder and perverting the course of justice. They will appear in court today.

Sources said the head and other parts of the 28-year-old Choi were found in one of two soup pots seized by police in a Lung Mei village house on Friday.

Sources said the pots also contained carrots and green radishes and that Choi's hair and flesh had separated from the skull after being boiled for a long time.

It is believed that someone tried to smash the skull but it remained relatively intact. The other pot was filled with Choi's clavicles and flesh.

Choi's former brother-in-law Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, 31, and former father-in-law Kwong Kau, 65, were jointly charged with murder. Choi's former mother-in-law, Li Sui-heung, 63, was charged with perverting the course of justice.

Choi's 28-year-old former husband, Alex Kwong Kong-chi, was arrested at Tung Chung pier on Saturday when he allegedly tried to flee by speed boat.

Police yesterday also arrested another woman, Ng, 47, who is the former father-in-law's mistress, for allegedly helping to rent the Tai Po village house and a flat in Tsim Sha Tsui to harbor Alex Kwong. Ng works at an entertainment establishment.

Superintendent Alan Chung Nga-lun of the Kowloon West regional crime unit said there was a fatal wound on the right side of Choi's skull likely caused by a hard object.

He said officers did not immediately search the soup pots on Friday for they wanted to protect the evidence and that forensic experts only started examining them after receiving a permit from the Coroner's Court yesterday.

The grisly affair came to light on Friday in Tai Po Lung Mei Village where the dismembered body of Choi was found. Choi was the daughter-in-law of the founder of chain restaurant TamJai Yunnan Mixian through her second marriage.

She had been reported missing since Tuesday when she was on her way to pick up her daughter from school in Tai Po.

Anthony Kwong, who worked as Choi's driver, was supposed to take her to her daughter's school, but her ex-husband Alex Kwong boarded the car and strangled her, sources say. It is understood that Choi was unconscious when she was driven to the house in Tai Po.

Choi's former parents-in-law and Anthony Kwong were arrested on Friday.

Alex Kwon was carrying HK$500,000 in cash and luxury watches worth HK$4 million when he was arrested.

Officers raided the Lung Mei house and found Choi's legs, two pots of soup and items that were believed to have been used to dismember the body - including a meat grinder, a chainsaw, raincoats and gloves.

Police continued to search for body parts at Tseung Kwan O Chinese Permanent Cemetery yesterday. Drainage Services Department officers went to Lung Mei Village and searched the sewers.

It was believed the murder was due to a dispute between Choi and her ex-husband's family over a HK$72 million flat at Kadoorie Hill in Ho Man Tin. Choi bought the flat but it was placed under her former father-in-law's name.

Choi had been supporting her ex-husband's family for years and wanted to sell the flat, causing disputes with the family, reports said. As Choi did not register her marriage with her new husband, the family wished her two children with Alex Kwong could inherit her fortune, sources said.

The former father-in-law reportedly planned the crime and rented the village house early this month.

His wife did not take part but was allegedly aware of the plan. Choi's former father-in-law was a former police sergeant who was awarded the Hong Kong Police Long Service Medal in 2001 but resigned in 2005 after allegedly being involved in a rape case.

Alex Kwong was wanted for years after jumping bail in a fraud case. He claims to be in the gold investment business and reportedly defrauded a few victims of about HK$5 million from 2014 to 2015.

He was arrested and appeared in court before jumping bail. He was also sued for more than HK$1.6 million in debts.

Anthony Kwong was not involved in criminal cases before but faced lawsuits over debts. Choi's former mother-in-law Lee was declared bankrupt in 2017.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com

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