HONG KONG — Hong Kong prosecutors have slapped an additional charge of preventing the lawful burial of a body against slain model Abby Choi Tin-hung’s ex-husband and two of her former in-laws ahead of their trial at the High Court.

Kowloon City Court on Wednesday (Dec 20) heard that the Department of Justice had finalised the allegations against the family of Ms Choi’s ex-husband.

The family of four were charged and remanded in custody in late February this year, after 28-year-old Choi’s dismembered remains were discovered in a three-storey village house in Tai Po’s Lung Mei Tsuen.

Ms Choi’s former spouse Alex Kwong Kong-chi, 29, his father Kwong Kau, 66, and elder brother Anthony Kwong Kong-kit, 32, will be tried before a High Court judge and a jury on charges of murder and prevention of the lawful burial of the socialite’s body.

Mr Alex Kwong’s mother, Ms Jenny Li Sui-heung, 64, will stand trial on a count of perverting the course of justice in the lower District Court, where a sentencing cap of seven years of imprisonment applies.

Court prosecutor Brian Lai Tak-ki said Ms Li was accused in the amended indictment of obstructing a police investigation into Mr Alex Kwong’s role in a 2015 theft case — a toned-down version compared with the original charge accusing the woman of destroying evidence against her in relation to Ms Choi’s murder.

Acting principal magistrate Veronica Heung Shuk-han arranged for the three murder suspects to appear before Eastern Court in late January for their case’s transfer. Ms Li will return to Kowloon City Court on a separate date during the same month.

The magistrate also rejected Ms Li’s bail application and extended the four suspects’ time behind bars. Ms Li has failed to secure temporary release on four previous occasions, including an unsuccessful attempt before a High Court judge.

Mr Alex Kwong, wearing a green jacket and a mask, interrupted the prosecutor from the dock when the latter explained the grounds for his side to oppose his mother’s bail. Mr Kwong’s lawyer, Mr Eric So Chi-kit, apologised for his client’s impertinence.

Separately, Mr Lai asked for extra time for the prosecution to conclude inquiries into two other suspects who they accused of trying to secure Mr Alex Kwong’s escape to Macau after the killing came to light.

He did not object to an extension of bail being granted to the pair — yacht rental agent Lam Shun, 42, and freelance worker Irene Pun Hau-yin, 30.

Ms Pun asked the court to lift her travel ban so that she could go to Japan for work, but the magistrate refused after Mr Lai opposed a change in bail conditions.

The pair were each released on HK$50,000 (S$8,500) bail when they first appeared in court earlier in 2023. Their cases will be heard again in the same court in late February next year. SCMP