I felt my life was being threatened when I fired shots at Nepali, constable tells inquest
A constable who opened fire on a Nepali on a Ho Man Tin hillside in March felt his life was being threatened when he shot at the homeless man, he told the Coroner's Court yesterday.
Constable Hui Ka-ki also revealed he had vomited at the court yesterday, the second day of his testimony in the inquest into the death of Dil Bahadur Limbu, 30. Recalling the incident had made him feel unwell and he had vomited during a break in the hearing, Hui told the coroner.
Earlier in the day, Hui told the court he had fallen into a drainage ditch trying to avoid an attack by Limbu, who was living on the hillside. The incident took place on March 17 when Hui was investigating a nuisance complaint. 'My bottom landed on the edge of a U-shape drainage ditch, and then I felt numb and it was very painful,' Hui said.
Limbu had held a weapon, the H-shaped part formed by legs of a wooden chair that the homeless man had earlier smashed against a tree, Hui said. Limbu had approached and attempted to attack the constable after he fell, Hui said.
'I could not move and could not avoid him,' Hui said.
He fired a shot in Limbu's direction because he had felt his life was being threatened.
Hui and Limbu were stunned by the loud noise from the first shot and both men froze for a moment, Hui told the court.
'About two seconds later, Limbu still held his weapon and was using the sharp part of the wooden chair legs, pointing them and attacking me,' Hui said.
Because he was unable to avoid the attack, Hui fired a second shot, he told the court.
Three parts of the wooden chair, including the sharp H-shaped fragment, were among the pieces of evidence presented yesterday.
Hui recalled he was five to 10 feet (1.5 to three metres) from Limbu when he fired his weapon.
Five sections of taped radio transmissions recorded in the moments before and after the shooting were also played to the court.
In the third and fourth sections, just moments before the first shot, Hui is heard saying in Cantonese, 'Sit down'. But no response was heard from Limbu in the recording.
'Put down the stuff, on the hillside, put down the weapon,' Hui was heard shouting at Limbu on the tape.
Sounds of Hui panting followed.
Hui's first shot missed Limbu, but Limbu fell to the ground after the second shot and blood was found near his head, Hui said.
After the shooting Hui used a white vest he found nearby to try to stop Limbu's bleeding and told him, in English, to breathe.
Hui said the little finger on his left hand and his right wrist had been sprained when he fell.
He said he could not recall whether his baton had made contact with the fragment of wooden chair Limbu was holding.
The inquest continues today.
