Murder, bank fraud 'despicable'

A handyman who killed a 74-year-old man before impersonating him to withdraw HK$600,000 from banks was jailed for life yesterday.

Mr Justice Darryl Saw called Alan Ng Nga-lun, 52, 'truly despicable' for murdering Tang Lo-loi at his house in Tseng Tau village, Ma On Shan, on November 9, 2010.

The Court of First Instance judge gave Ng an automatic sentence for the murder, and sentenced him to three years and four months behind bars for one count of fraud and to 16 months for a second count of fraud.

Ng earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud in stealing HK$600,000 from Tang's bank accounts at HSBC and Bank of China on the day following Tang's death.

The court heard that Ng, who impersonated Tang by donning a cap and carrying a stick, fooled bank staff as to his identity and withdrew funds from Tang's bank accounts.

He produced Tang's identity card, bank card and bank book and signed Tang's name on documents.

Ng and the victim met when they both lived in Tseng Tau Village for several years, before Ng left the community in 2008.

An autopsy revealed Tang died from repeated blows to his head. Ng's palm print was found on the fridge in Tang's kitchen, the court heard.

Police tracked down a motorboat driver who said he had carried Ng back and forth between Hong Kong and the mainland illegally.

Ng fled Hong Kong the day after the killing. He then called his girlfriend, telling her to transfer HK$230,000 hidden in her flat to the mainland.