The murder mastermind spent $280,000 hiring a hitman, mainland media says
The mastermind behind the murder of businessman Harry Lam Hon-lit allegedly spent 300,000 yuan (HK$283,000) hiring a killer and other accomplices through an agent.
Quoting investigation sources, mainland media reported yesterday that the mastermind had met Lam, 54, for a business deal before plotting the murder.
An agent allegedly approached Wu Yiwu, 23, and Zhang Zixin, 20, in Hunan to find someone to kill Lam, saying the reward would be 300,000 yuan.
Wu and Zhang, who were arrested in Hunan last month, later allegedly approached Yang Wen, 25, who comes from a poor family and served in the army between 1995 to 1998.
Yang, who was alleged to have pocketed at least 160,000 yuan, was arrested last Friday in Zhangjiajie city in the province.
The trio were said to have obtained forged travel documents to go to Hong Kong via Zhuhai and Macau on November 27.
Yang allegedly shot Lam in the head on November 30 when he was eating breakfast with three friends at the Luk Yu Tea House in Central.
He allegedly left his backpack containing a pistol loaded with five bullets in a restaurant in the Shun Tak Centre in Sheung Wan before fleeing back to his hometown in Huanjiang, Hunan, via Zhuhai.
Yang was later found to have used a forged travel permit under the name 'Hong Gongdong'.
Zhang used a forged document under the name 'You Xinchun', according to the media reports.
Yang was said to have left 100,000 yuan of his payment with his parents and another 40,000 yuan with his uncle before fleeing from Huanjiang city.
Hunan police reportedly posted 5,000 wanted notices for his arrest with a reward of 100,000 yuan for information on his whereabouts.
Yang was arrested after police learned that he was hiding in a rented house in Zhangjiajie with a newly-bought television and blanket.
