HONG KONG — Villagers and rural officials in Lung Mei Tsuen held a funeral ritual for slain model Abby Choi Tin-fung on Friday (March 10), after Hong Kong police found some of her body parts inside a three-storey house in the area about two weeks ago.

Despite multiple sweeping searches by the force at a cemetery, a landfill site and in sewage, the 28-year-old’s torso and hands are still missing.

The high-profile case came to light on February 24. Officers found two pots containing a skull and several ribs, meat cleavers, a hammer, face shields, black raincoats and a purple handbag that belonged to Choi in the ground-floor flat of the three-storey house. Two legs were also found in a refrigerator.

Seven suspects have been arrested so far in connection with the murder of Choi. Defendants will return to Kowloon City Court on May 8, when all cases linked to the incident will be heard. Police have not ruled out further arrests in the case.

Here are the individuals who have been arrested and charged over their suspected roles in the gruesome case, as well as the allegations against them. Police have not ruled out further arrests in the case.

1. Kwong Kau, 65, Choi’s former father-in-law

At the centre of the case is a HK$73 million (US$9.3 million) flat in the exclusive Kadoorie Hill neighbourhood purchased under his name. The retiree has been charged over the murder and is currently remanded in custody.

2. Alex Kwong Kong-chi, 28, Choi’s former husband

The model’s ex-husband has been charged over the murder. Kwong, who claimed to be jobless, has been remanded in custody.

3. Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, 31, Choi’s former brother-in-law

Choi’s chauffeur, who has been charged over the murder and has been remanded in custody.

4. Jenny Li Sui-heung, 63, Choi’s former mother-in-law

She has been charged over perverting the course of justice in the case and is currently remanded in custody.

Li was accused of destroying evidence against her during a police investigation on February 23, a day before the discovery of Choi’s body parts.

5. A 47-year-old woman, surnamed Ng

Arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting a murder suspect, Ng is so far the only suspect who has not been charged in the case.

Ng, who worked as a masseuse, is Kwong Kau’s alleged lover and had been in a relationship with him for about six months. She was accused of helping him rent the ground-floor flat of the village house, and was also suspected of helping Alex Kwong evade police.

According to the force, Ng last month allegedly rented a luxury flat in West Kowloon’s Arch Sky Tower development to hide Choi’s ex-husband.

6. Lam Shun, 41

A yacht rental agent, he has been charged over assisting an offender with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution.

He has been accused of organising the attempted escape of Choi’s ex-husband to Macau on February 24 for a sum of HK$300,000.

He was released on a HK$50,000 bail, barred from leaving the city and ordered to surrender his travel documents. He must also report to police twice a week and tell officers about any change of address.

7. Irene Pun Hau-yin, 29

She has been charged with assisting an offender with intent to impede his apprehension or prosecution

Pun, who claimed to be jobless, had allegedly arranged for a yacht to help Choi’s ex-husband flee to Macau “knowing or believing him to be guilty of the offence of (murder)”.

She was arrested by mainland Chinese authorities on Tuesday and handed over to local police on the same day.

Pun had secured bail of HK$50,000 but was told to observe a travel ban, surrender all relevant documents, report to police twice a week and notify the force about any change of address. SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST