Murder Suspect Who Sparked Hong Kong Unrest May Soon Be Free
- Taiwan case was cited by Lam when she proposed extradition law
- Suspect was jailed by Hong Kong court for money laundering
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After four months of unprecedented violent demonstrations in Hong Kong and no end in sight, the city’s beleaguered leader has one more thing to worry about: the suspect in the murder case that led to the social unrest could soon walk free.
When Chief Executive Carrie Lam proposed amending the extradition law in February, she cited the case of Chan Tong-kai, wanted in Taiwan in connection with the February 2018 slaying of his girlfriend, Poon Hui-wing. Chan was sentenced by a Hong Kong court in April to 29 months for money-laundering after he used Poon’s bank card for ATM withdrawals, but no legal framework exists for him to be returned to Taiwan to face the murder charges.