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SCMP Reporter

A CHEATING husband died after hitmen hired by his 'ruthless' wife shot him with a bow and arrow, the High Court heard yesterday.

   The metal dart was fired from a motorcycle, hitting bailiff Kwok Chi-shing, 31, in the back as he walked to work in Tai Po, the jury was told.

  Prosecutor Jim Dick said that on May 26, 1990, the victim staggered with the arrow in him to get help from relatives nearby. He was rushed to hospital where it was removed in an operation and handed to police.

  Kwok was later released after an apparent recovery. But three months after the attack, he suffered a relapse, dying on September 3 that year.

  The two men on trial for the murder told police the victim's wife persuaded them to get involved in the attack, the court heard.

  Mr Dick said: 'It is a nasty thought that a wife can be as vicious and as ruthless, but if you believe what the defendants told the police that is what we have here.' One of the men accused of murdering Kwok is Detective Police Constable Law Siu-long, 29, alleged to have ridden on the motorcycle during the ambush.

  The other, Lau Hip-shing, 33, told police he acted as a financier for the operation, the court heard.

  Law and Lau both pleaded not guilty to murder.

  The man who fired the shot is not on trial. Neither is victim's wife, Lee Kit-ling, 27, a ballroom hostess. Mr Dick said the wife did not ask the defendants to kill her husband, but said she wanted him 'dealt with'.

  Lau said they did not intend to murder him, just beat him up or wound him, the court heard.

  In a statement made to police, Lau allegedly said the wife - referred to as 'Ah Ling' - was angry with her husband.

  Police claim he said: 'Ah Ling complained to me her husband had always beaten her and flirted with girls. She wanted someone to teach him a lesson. She asked me if it was possible to pay someone to fix it.' The court heard Lau handed over $35,000 cash to a man named in court only as Michael to do the job.

  Mr Dick said Lau had the metal arrow made at a factory where he was a boss. A staff member told the court he remembered sharpening an arrow like the one later removed from the victim's body. This was later handed to Lau, it was alleged.

  Lau is said to have told police he provided Michael with a bow and two metal arrows. A week later, Ms Lee informed him her husband was in hospital, the court heard.

  Michael then told Lau that 'the job had been done', his statement said. Lau is alleged to have told police Michael warned him to 'keep mum' about all their dealings.

  Mr Dick said one of Law's fellow police officers spoke to him about the murder after reading about it in newspapers.

  The colleague was said to have told him: 'Blasted man, you have killed someone'.

   Mr Dick said Law chuckled and replied: 'Come on, don't spread this around.'   The trial continues today.



Arrow killed husband