Hong Fook Court fire case adjourned to January 14

Summary

Key Points

• The fire at Hong Fook Court in Tai Po was reported as a five-alarm blaze that killed 168 people, and the prosecutions are split into two cases carrying 25 charges in total.123
• The nine defendants are Hong Ngai Architects Limited, Wang Yip Construction Engineering Limited, and seven individuals including directors Wong Hap-yin (黃俠然), Hau Wah-kin (侯華建) and Ho Kin-yip (何建業).123
• In the first case, the nine defendants face 20 counts including conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, attempting to pervert the course of justice, and tax-related offences.123
• In the second case, Wong, Ho, registered inspector Ng Yue (吳躍), and the two companies face five manslaughter counts covering 168 deaths between November 26 and December 3, 2025.123
• Three defendants — Chung So-fan (鍾素芬), Hau Wah-kin and Lee Man (李敏) — remained on bail, while the others were remanded in custody.123
• Prosecutors told the court that Hong Ngai had been ordered wound up earlier and is now under provisional liquidators, while the High Court had approved the criminal proceedings against the company to continue.12 on.cc reported the winding-up order was made on September 16 this year and that the High Court approved continuation of the two cases on October 28, 20263
• Chief Magistrate So asked Wong Hap-yin whether legal representation would be arranged for Hong Ngai at the next hearing.12 Wong asked whether anyone would represent the company now that it is being handled by provisional liquidators, and So replied that the provisional liquidators would not appear for the company in the criminal case.12 The magistrate added that if the company were absent in law, it could be treated as entering not guilty pleas and the case could proceed to trial, which would consume public money and court time.12
• The manslaughter indictment is divided into five counts by building and groups of deceased residents.12 According to the charge details, one count concerns 81 deaths, another 82 deaths, two further counts concern two deaths each, and the final count concerns one death, together covering all 168 fatalities.12 Sing Tao said the counts correspond to 81 deaths in Wang Cheong House, 82 in Wang Tai House, two each in Wang San House and Wang To House, and one in Wang Shing House2
• The sources also set out the individual allegations in the fraud-related case.123 Wong Hap-yin faces three conspiracy-to-defraud counts, three money-laundering counts and six tax-evasion counts; Hau Wah-kin, Ho Kin-yip and Ng Yue each face one conspiracy-to-defraud count; Hung Kwok-wai (洪國偉) faces one conspiracy-to-defraud count and two counts of acts tending and intended to pervert the course of justice; Chung So-fan faces two money-laundering counts; Lee Man faces one money-laundering count; Hong Ngai faces three conspiracy-to-defraud counts and four tax-evasion counts; and Wang Yip faces one conspiracy-to-defraud count.12
• on.cc reported that the magistrate also asked whether the prosecution would be ready at the next hearing to decide which level of court should handle the case, and the prosecution said that was its goal.3 The case numbers are WKCC2701/2026 and WKCC2702/2026.123

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