Three Go On Trial Over 'body-in-cement' Murder

Three men went on trial on Tuesday accused of murdering a man whose body was found sealed in a concrete block at an industrial building in Tsuen Wan.

The prosecution told the High Court that the murder of 28-year-old Cheung Man-li in 2016 was premeditated.

In his opening speech, the prosecutor said the three defendants lived in a unit in the building where the body was found.

According to a prosecution witness, Ho Ling-yu, who also lived in the same unit, the victim had demanded the payment of a debt from one of the defendants, Tsang Cheung-yan.

The court heard Tsang and the second defendant, Keith Lau, brought the victim to the unit, and the trio had an argument.

The witness said she then heard the two men saying Cheung was dead.

The prosecution said Ho later left the flat and when she returned the next day, she found the unit to be exceptionally cold with a concrete block in the middle of the room. She said Tsang had told her that they had turned up the air conditioning, hoping the concrete would dry faster, and he told her not to call the police.

Ho said the three defendants had planned to dispose of the body in plastic bags, or put it in a wardrobe and carry it away, but they gave up after deciding that it would be too heavy.

The prosecution further quoted Ho as saying that the three men had earlier talked about killing the victim at the Kwun Tong Ferry Pier or on Lantau.

The seven-member jury also heard that Tsang and the third defendant, Cheung Sin-hang, were captured on CCTV holding ropes, plastic bags and plastic bottles.