Murder accused details volatile ties with Chow Wai-yin
HK01 · 7 SOURCESabout 3 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
At the High Court trial over the death of 23-year-old Chow Wai-yin, defendant Lo Chun-ming described a relationship that began through Instagram in 2021 and later involved rented accommodation, repeated breakups, allegations of infidelity, police involvement and mounting financial pressure. He told the court he spent close to HK$1 million on Chow, borrowed heavily, and had already planned to kill himself before the fatal incident at the Ritz-Carlton in Tsim Sha Tsui on the night of June 29 to June 30, 2022. Lo said the final argument escalated after discussion of a Delvaux handbag, threats to report him to police, and remarks he said triggered him into a loss of control. He also testified that after the stabbing he considered suicide, but eventually sought legal help and surrendered himself.
Key Points
- Lo, then 28 when charged, faces one murder count alleging he killed 23-year-old Chow Wai-yin in a room at the Ritz-Carlton, Tsim Sha Tsui, between June 29 and June 30, 2022.
- He said they met after he messaged Chow about a painting on Instagram, became a couple in February 2021, and later rented a Harbourfront Horizon serviced apartment for easier overnight stays
- Lo testified that during the tenancy Chow called police three times and once involved firefighters to force entry, after which the landlord refused to continue renting the flat.
- He told jurors he earned about HK$30,000 a month but spent nearly HK$1 million on Chow, including cash, hotel celebrations, luxury goods, tuition fees and loans exceeding HK$200,000.
- Lo said he renewed the Ritz-Carlton room and bought a knife in Temple Street on June 29 because he intended to slit his wrists after seeing Chow, before the fatal confrontation later that night
Why It Matters
The testimony lays out the defence narrative on Lo's state of mind, financial distress and the couple's turbulent history, all of which are central to how jurors may assess intent and responsibility in a murder trial. For Hong Kong readers, the case also draws attention to how intimate-partner conflict, debt pressure and repeated emergency callouts can build over time before ending in fatal violence.