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Fiona Chow

A self-proclaimed Taoist practitioner accused of murdering an intellectually impaired woman in Hong Kong hit her head against a wall and forced alcohol down her throat as part of an “exorcism”, a court has heard.
Dunsany Cheung Chi-choi, 54, went on trial in High Court on Tuesday after he denied murdering Ng Yan-yu on September 2, 2019, the day the 21-year-old was found dead in a Sai Kung village house in the presence of her parents.
Ng was said to have been diagnosed with mild intellectual impairment affecting her hearing and speech abilities.
Prosecutor Newman Wong told the seven-member jury in his opening statement that Cheung admitted to police he had assaulted Ng, including beating her with a pair of slippers and fly swatters, in the name of “exorcism” to drive away the “evil spirit” in her body. He allegedly used a sex toy on her as well.
But the defendant also denied another count of indecent assault.
His co-defendant Ng Ma Yu-kang, 57, the mother of the victim, was said to have aided and abetted Cheung but denied the accusations.
The prosecution alleged the mother, a follower of Cheung’s “Taoist practice”, had helped procure the sex toy and handed it to Cheung because she was “too afraid” to perform the ritual herself.
During the police investigation, a witness living nearby said she heard noises coming from the house, similar to cries from a woman in pain she had heard before.
“Before September 2, she had heard a woman shouting in pain in the house, and she had also heard a male shouting every now and then,” Wong cited the witness statement.
The prosecutor said the 21-year-old was found unconscious on a foldable bed, which was commonly used for massage, and had sustained bruises and wounds “almost everywhere” on her body.
According to Cheung’s statements to police, he said he made the victim sit on a stool in a bedroom and banged her head against the wall a few times before he grabbed a bottle of Chinese liquor, of at least 30 per cent alcohol, and forced a “substantial amount” down her throat.
Forensic experts said the cause of her death was acute pneumonia complicating alcohol intoxication. The doctors believed the victim had survived a certain period of time after the head injury was inflicted.
Prosecutor Wong told the jury that unlike other murder cases that involved stabbing or direct physical assault, what Cheung did – causing grievous bodily harm to the victim – had a “hastening and substantial factor” as to the cause of her death.
“[Cheung] is guilty of murder, whatever motive he may have back in his mind,” Wong said.
The 15-day trial is being heard before Madam Justice Esther Toh Lye-ping.


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Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Dunsany Cheung, 54, hit his 21-year-old victim’s head on wall repeatedly and forced alcohol down her throat, court hears


Dunsany Cheung, 54, hit his 21-year-old victim’s head on wall repeatedly and forced alcohol down her throat, court hears.


Crime in Hong Kong

Crime

Mental health

Hong Kong society