Man accused of ‘wardrobe corpse’ murder went to basketball training day after killing ex-girlfriend, Hong Kong court hears
Oscar Mok had two scratches on his neck which he said were caused ‘by friends’, teammate testifies in High Court
A man accused of strangling his flight attendant girlfriend and hiding her body in a wardrobe showed up to basketball training the next day with scratches on his neck, his teammates told a Hong Kong court on Monday.
Chiu Yat-fung said Oscar Mok Chun-yin told him the two scratches on his neck “were from friends,” prosecution witness Chiu told a seven-member jury in the High Court.
Mok, 30, denied murdering Dragonair flight attendant Arbe Chan Man-yi, 26, on December 4, 2013 in what the prosecutors described as a “tragic case”.
The pair started dating in 2012, but their relationship ended abruptly a year later.
Prosecutors said after checking Chan’s roster, Mok went to her home at Allway Gardens in Tsuen Wan in the hopes of a reconciliation. The encounter took a fatal turn when Mok found out Chan already had a new boyfriend. Overcome by rage, Mok then killed her, he told police.
Testifying on Monday, Chiu said Mok did not seem eager to play when he arrived at the basketball court in Tin Shui Wai on December 5. Mok did not play that night, saying he did not have his gear, Chiu recalled.
“He said he was not well,” Chiu said.
Hong Kong man strangled ex-girlfriend in anger over her new lover, court hears in ‘wardrobe corpse’ trial
While Mok appeared normal, Chiu noticed two scratches on Mok’s neck.
Another teammate, Yip Chi-shing, said the marks looked slightly red and were on one side of the neck, though he could not recall which side.
Chiu said the team all left by light rail, but Mok did not get off at his usual station at Tin Yiu Estate. Mok also did not use an Octopus card that night, which attracted Chiu’s attention.
“He said he didn’t have money on his Octopus card,” Chiu said.
Chan’s boyfriend, Wu Wai-keung, also took to the witness box to recount his time with her in her final days. He said the last time he saw her was when they went for dinner and a movie at CityWalk shopping centre on December 1.
On December 4, the day Chan was killed, Wu said she sent him a photo of her scarf, joking that it was his underwear.
“She asked me if I would like it,” he said. But when he texted her at 10.30pm, when she was supposed to be off duty, there was no reply.
Wu said he tried to reach one of her friends in the following days.
On December 8, other friends contacted him and told him Chan had been in an “unexpected accident”. He described her as an easy-going person, who cared very much for her family.
The court also heard Chan had taken sick leave from work on the day she was killed.
According to the witness statement of Peter Chan Yat-wai, Cathay Pacific’s integrated crew management officer, Chan called shortly after 3pm to seek sick leave from her 4.30pm duty.
He recalled she spoke in “a coarse voice”.
The case continues before Mr Justice Joseph Yau Chi-lap on Tuesday.
Additional reporting by Jasmine Siu
