Surrender Or I Won't Beg For Your Life, Killer Told

The mother of murder victim Poon Hiu-wing on Monday said her daughter’s killer must surrender himself to the authorities in Taiwan by October 23, or she will withdraw her offer to plead for his life.

Chan Tong-kai has admitted to killing his pregnant girlfriend in Taipei in 2018, but has only served a jail sentence here for money laundering, as he cannot be tried for the murder in Hong Kong.

The case prompted the government to propose a broad extradition bill that served as the catalyst for months of social unrest in Hong Kong last year.

Chan had said he is willing to turn himself in to Taiwan authorities, but still has not done so.

Poon’s mother had earlier promised to ask the court in Taiwan to spare Chan from the death penalty if he does turn himself in, but now said this must happen before October 23 – one year to the day that he was freed from a Hong Kong prison and made the surrender pledge.

“Chan Tong-kai, you are no longer a child. You are already 22 years old. If, by 23rd of this month, you have yet to step onto a flight to Taiwan, I will not plead for you,” Poon’s mother said in a new audio clip released on Monday.

Her warning comes as a Taiwanese law firm, Lee and Li, confirmed that it is helping Chan with the surrender arrangements.

Taiwanese authorities have said it had asked the SAR government for assistance on three occasions over Chan’s transfer, and over the collection of evidence, only to be ignored.