The murder trial of Hong Kong socialite and influencer Abby Choi’s former husband and in-laws has opened more than three years after parts of her dismembered body were discovered at a village house in the city.
Alex Kwong Kong-chi, Choi’s former husband, his father Kwong Kau and his elder brother Anthony Kwong Kong-kit are accused of killing the 28-year-old in February 2023. All three deny the murder charges and face life imprisonment if convicted.
They are also charged with preventing the lawful burial of a body. Alex Kwong and Anthony Kwong pleaded guilty to that charge, while Kwong Kau pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors allege that the killing was linked to a dispute over a luxury flat in Hong Kong valued at HK$72 million (US$9.2 million), where Kwong Kau was living.
The prosecution said Kwong Kau became “extremely resentful and angry” after Choi insisted on selling the property.
Alleged dispute over flat
Prosecutor on fiat Charlotte Draycott SC said tensions between Choi and her former in-laws began to grow after she tried to sell the flat at the Kadooria residential estate in Ho Man Tin in 2022.
Choi had reportedly paid most of the purchase price in 2019 but registered Kwong Kau as the legal owner to avoid significant stamp duty, according to the prosecution.
Draycott said Kwong Kau initially refused to sign a power of attorney allowing Choi to negotiate with property agents. On one occasion, he reportedly lost his temper and “lunged at” Choi in an apparent attempt to hit her before being restrained.
Prosecutors allege that Kwong Kau decided to kill Choi because he wanted to keep the property, and enlisted his two sons to help carry out the killing and dispose of her body.
“We say three of them decided they would do it together,” Draycott told the court, adding that each defendant “played a part” in Choi’s death and the disposal of her body.
In private audio messages sent to her mother, Choi reportedly described her former in-laws in “very unpleasant” terms, calling Kwong Kau a “crook” and his wife a “ghost”.
In one message, Choi said: “A huge amount of money was spent on that flat, and it was spent for them. To be honest, for the sake of my children, for the sake of my two children and my good heart, that’s why she can lead such a good life, right?”
Police discovery shocked Hong Kong
Police said in 2023 that they found body parts inside a unit at a village house in Tai Po, a suburban district of Hong Kong. Officers later searched a landfill for further evidence.
A refrigerator believed to have been used to store Choi’s remains was also removed from the property by police.
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The case shocked Hong Kong, where violent crime is relatively rare. Dozens of people gathered outside the courtroom for the proceedings, while a live broadcast was arranged for people unable to enter.
The three defendants appeared calm in court. Kwong Kau wore a white T-shirt, while his sons wore suits and masks.
Who was Abby Choi?
Choi was a model, influencer and socialite with more than 140,000 followers on Instagram. She frequently shared images from fashion shoots, luxury events and international travel.
Days before her death, she posted photographs from the Dior show at Paris Fashion Week.
She had two children with Alex Kwong before their divorce. She later married Chris Tam and had two more children with him.
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The prosecution began delivering its opening statements on Wednesday. The trial is expected to last about eight weeks, or 45 days, and continue until December.
