Barrister denies using fake will in property claim

A barrister used a fake will to claim the property of a prominent calligraphy master, the District Court heard yesterday.

Wong Kwai-sang, 50, allegedly submitted the will of Au Shu-cham to the High Court in October 2009. The will named Wong as executor and his sister, who learned calligraphy from Au and lived with him for more than two decades, as beneficiary.

However, police later found that Au's signature on the will, and that of a witness, were fake.

Wong, who pleaded not guilty to nine charges, is also accused of using bank slips with Au's fake signature to transfer HK$15,400 from a joint account Au held with his godson.

He faces six charges of theft relating to sums of between HK$300 and HK$5,000 and one each of using a false instrument, using a copy of a false instrument and lying under oath.

Prosecutor Louisa Lai told the court that Au, who also worked as a film actor and set designer, began teaching calligraphy in 1986. Wong's elder sister Wong Choi-chuk was a pupil and shared his home in Sai Yuen Lane, Western district, from 1986 to 2008.

Au sold his home to his godson, Cheung Wai-ming, for HK$1 million in May 1997. Cheung, who does not live in Hong Kong, allowed Au to stay in the flat. The two set up a joint bank account and Cheung paid HK$5,000 to the account each month.