Hong Kong murder case to be retried after deadlocked jury
HKFP · 1 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago1 MIN
Summary
Hong Kong’s High Court has ordered a retrial of Matthew Choi, 36, after a seven-member jury failed to reach a majority verdict in his murder trial over the 2021 killing of taxi driver Wai Kim-hung. The jury was discharged after about 16 hours of deliberation, ending the first trial without a decision on guilt.
Key Points
- Judge Esther Toh discharged the jury on Wednesday after the seven jurors deliberated for about 16 hours but could not reach a majority verdict.
- Choi had pleaded not guilty to one count of murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of 48-year-old taxi driver Wai Kim-hung.
- The High Court trial began on July 15, and Wednesday was the 23rd day of proceedings before the retrial was ordered.
- Prosecutors said Wai picked up Choi outside WE Hotel on Eastern Street, Sai Ying Pun, at about 5am on October 12, 2021.
- The prosecution alleged Choi stabbed Wai in the neck, fled on foot, washed his clothes at home, and later went to Lamma Island.
Why It Matters
The retrial means the case will return to court, extending proceedings in a high-profile killing of a night-shift taxi driver that prompted a two-day citywide manhunt. The first trial also exposed a central dispute likely to shape the next hearing: whether the attack was planned, as prosecutors argued, or linked to the defendant’s mental state, as the defence claimed.