'Taiwan Murder Suspect Plans To Surrender'

A Taipei murder suspect whose case started the ill-fated extradition bill move by the Hong Kong government, is planning to surrender to the Taiwanese authorities, a leader of the Anglican Church confirmed on Friday.

Anglican Church leader Peter Koon said Chan Tong-kai is feeling remorseful and wants to take responsibility for his actions.

Chan's case had prompted the government to propose an amendment bill to the extradition law as there was no pact between Hong Kong and Taiwan to surrender fugitives. The opposition to that bill has morphed into a full-blown agitation against the Carrie Lam administration over the last four months.

According to a Sing Tao Daily report on Friday, Chan has now expressed a willingness to surrender himself to Taiwanese authorities.

Chan is currently serving a 29-month prison sentence here for money-laundering linked to the property he took from the murder victim, his girlfriend Poon Hiu-wing. He could be released by next Wednesday.

Earlier the Sing Tao Daily had reported that a pastor successfully convinced Chan to return to Taiwan, after repeatedly visiting and talking to him.

The report said Chan hopes his surrender can help lessen the anger of citizens and settle the social turmoil.

It said Chan and his family were worried he would be given the death penalty. The paper said to alleviate their concerns, lawyers from Taiwan visited him and explained the judicial system and prison conditions there.

Reacting to this, Pro-Beijing lawmaker Priscilla Leung said this could be a breakthrough and that the Hong Kong government should ask that he be spared the death penalty if he stands trial there.

Leung said it’s very unlikely that Chan will be sentenced to death due to his young age and the details of the case. She added that the Hong Kong government can send observers and provide legal advice to protect his rights.

“He also may provide different grounds to defend his own case. Of course we would ensure a Hong Kong permanent resident would receive a fair trial, would be given sufficient chance to provide as much supportive evidence as he could to defend his case. I believe we could also suggest that Taiwan would not offer death penalty,” she said.

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