Jury to decide fitness in 1991 murder trial
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
A High Court hearing opened on Thursday in a long-running case over a 1991 attempted robbery at a shop on Pei Ho Street in Sham Shui Po, in which a 56-year-old male employee was allegedly shot dead. Defence counsel said the 61-year-old defendant is unfit to plead, and the judge adjourned the case to Friday to direct the jury on that issue.
Key Points
- The defendant, Man Wan-yip (文稳业), faces one count of murder and one count of attempted robbery over the events of 9 June 1991 at G/F, 1A Pei Ho Street, Sham Shui Po.
- Prosecutors allege he acted with other unidentified people in murdering Cheng Kai-lam (鄭啟霖), and in attempting to rob Cheng, Cheng Chi, Lo Siu-fung and Choi Hang-chiu at the same location.
- Agreed facts said Man, a mainland resident, entered Hong Kong via Shenzhen Bay Port on 11 November 2023, was arrested the same day, and has remained in custody since then.
- The defence tendered two psychiatric reports prepared in July and August 2026, both concluding Man was unfit to plead because of limited speech, impaired cognition and inability to understand the charges or legal process.
- The reports said Man has stage-four lung cancer with brain metastases, underwent emergency left-sided craniotomy tumour removal in July 2024, later received radiotherapy and chemotherapy, and is expected to need palliative care.
Why It Matters
The next step in the case is not a ruling on guilt, but a jury decision on whether the defendant can meaningfully take part in his own trial after severe illness and brain surgery. That decision will determine how the High Court can proceed in a homicide case tied to an alleged armed robbery from 35 years ago.