JOHNNY Cheung Wai-ming, the key suspect in the murder of an important Independent Commission Against Corruption witness, is a former Hong Kong prison officer convicted of masterminding a ruthless assault on a Scottish restaurateur in an apparent triad grab for power.
Cheung was sentenced to 12 years in jail in 1988 in Glasgow for planning the attack and for an immigration offence.
On his release in October 1992 he was deported back to the territory, but has made frequent trips to Europe.
Also known as Go Lo (Tall One) Ming, Cheung was still in detention in Beijing last night as a multi-agency team investigated his alleged involvement in the killing in Singapore of Tommy Chui To-yan in March.
During his trial for organising the restaurant attack, Lord Morison heard that Cheung was a member of sui fong, equivalent to the Wo On Lok triad society.
The Crown said Cheung had recruited three men for the vicious attack in May 1987 on the proprietor of a Chinese restaurant, Cheng Pik-wai, involving the use of butcher's knives and a metal bar.