AN expected rendezvous with his lover turned out to be an ambush resulting in a beating and then arrest on arson charges, a 26-year-old man told the District Court yesterday. Jow Chiu-chun, a fruit stall worker, has denied four charges of arson at the Bun Shing Hair Saloon, Cheung Ching Estate Commercial Complex, owned by brothers Yeung Fat and Yeung Kam-po. The offences are alleged to have taken place in January and February last year. Jow told the court his lover, Chan Yuen-mui, the wife of Mr Yeung Fat, often paged him for a rendezvous. On February 10 Jow said he was driving home when his pager beeped and he went to meet his lover. Jow said he had been waiting for some time when six or seven men arrived and forcibly took him to a carpark where he was beaten. He was then driven back to his car where the police arrested him. He testified that Mr Yeung Fat was among his attackers. Mr Yeung Fat told the court he caught Jow trying to set fire to his salon, gave chase and, after a scuffle, apprehended the defendant. Cross-examined by Steve Chui, prosecuting on a fiat, Jow said he met Ms Chan in 1990. In September 1991, Ms Chan told Jow she was going to marry Mr Yeung Fat. Summing for the defence, John Pickavant said there was no evidence of any motive on the part of Jow. ''There has been no evidence that there was any intention by Ms Chan to end the affair,'' he said. Deputy Judge Kwan adjourned the case for verdict.
