Man planned karaoke fire that killed 17, court told
A man arrested on the mainland in 2008 for allegedly planning a firebomb attack on a Tsim Sha Tsui karaoke club more than a decade ago in which 17 people died went on trial for murder yesterday.
Choi Kam-fai, 34, has denied two counts of murder arising from the attack on the Top One Karaoke Box in Prat Avenue on January 25, 1997 - one relating to 15 people who died at the scene and the other to two who died two days later.
Opening the case in the Court of First Instance, prosecutor Graeme Hagon urged jurors not to rely on their memories of the fire but to consider the evidence in deciding whether Choi was responsible for all 17 deaths.
He said Choi had planned the attack as revenge for a dispute with bouncers that left him injured and needing hospital treatment.
The blaze had cost the lives of 17 people, but 'it was lucky ... there were not more names' on the list, Hagon said.
The victims, including employees and customers aged from 15 to the early 30s, were all recovered from the second floor of the four-storey venue.
Hagon said the 17 people died as a result of three petrol bombs thrown into the club between 3.30am and 4am that day.
A group of people participated in the attack, and three were convicted of murder in 1998.
Tung Shing-fei, Lee Ka-ho and Lau Ying-tat, all serving jail terms, are to testify for the prosecution in Choi's trial.
Hagon said there was evidence to suggest the bombers were two other persons known as 'Mei Mei' and 'Ah Ching', but he argued that Choi was also guilty of murder.
The prosecutor said Choi had indicated he would admit to manslaughter, but this was not acceptable to the prosecution.
'Just because you did not throw the bombs does not necessarily mean that you are not guilty of murder,' Hagon told the jury.
He said Choi had a role to play in the joint enterprise orchestrating the whole attack.
Explaining the two charges, he said the later deaths of two victims on January 27 had to be covered by a separate indictment.
Former Top One waiter Lai Ka-ming told the court how he discovered the blaze on the second floor and helped with the evacuation of patrons. Lai said the fire started after he heard a 'pop' near the lift lobby. He tried to put it out with a fire extinguisher but could not, so he led his customers out of the building through a back stairway.
The hearing before Recorder Andrew Macrae continues today. Barrister Ian Poulson represents Choi.
