An open trial is expected to be held on the mainland for a fung shui master accused of killing five people in Telford Gardens last July. Relatives of the victims, local officials and even Hong Kong journalists are expected to be allowed to attend hearings in the Guangdong city of Shantou. Ma Lik, a local delegate to the National People's Congress, was told by Beijing the trial would be open to SAR residents as long as no state secrets were involved. Mr Ma's secretary said: 'They agreed with us that it would increase public confidence in the mainland legal system if the trial was opened to the public.' Last month, Mr Ma made a formal request to the Supreme People's Congress for an open-court trial in the aftermath of 'Big Spender' Cheung Tze-keung's trial. This trial raised fears partly because only relatives and chosen mainlanders were allowed to attend. The two cases have sparked controversy over judicial autonomy. The mainland insisted on trying both with no objections from the SAR Government, even though some of the crimes occurred in the SAR and involved Hong Kong victims. The fung shui master, Li Yuhui, had confessed to poisoning three women and two teenage girls in the Kowloon Bay estate and stealing $1.3 million before fleeing to the mainland, Guangdong authorities said. Investigations continue and a trial date has not been set. Legal experts said most mainland trials were open, although in varying degrees. Priscilla Leung Mei-fun, a City University academic specialising in mainland law, said there was no reason why Li's trial should be kept secret. 'It's a simple criminal case, not like Big Spender's,' Ms Leung said.