Viet group denies murdering inmate
A STABBED Vietnamese man withdrew the knife embedded in his waist and used it to defend himself, the High Court heard yesterday.
But Pham Duc Dung, 19, collapsed at the Red Cross clinic in High Island camp and was stabbed in the back while lying on the floor.
He died from the wounds.
The four alleged attackers, Pham Quang Tung, Hoang Hai Viet, both 21, and Nguyen Van Hung and Nguyen Van Tinh, both 20, have denied a joint charge of murder.
They are being tried by a jury before Mr Justice Leong.
Prosecutor Richard Donald said Pham and the alleged attackers had been inmates of the High Island detention centre in Sai Kung.
There are about 7,000 people in the camp.
Pham had been washing his hair at about 11 am on September 24, 1992, and was naked from the waist up, the prosecutor said.
A man whom the Crown alleged was Hoang stabbed Pham. With the knife still embedded, Pham fled, but Hoang and the three other accused men gave chase.
The men surrounded Pham and the injured man pulled the knife from his body and used it to protect himself.
The gang backed off and Pham ran away, shouting for help. Counsel said Pham was bleeding heavily and staggering.
As he reached the gate leading to the Red Cross clinic another inmate, Bui Van Lang, helped steady Pham.
Mr Donald said that Pham arrived at the waiting area of the clinic and collapsed.
The four men caught up with him and while he was lying on the floor, Pham Quang Tung stabbed Pham once in the back with a knife, it was alleged.
The accused were arrested by Correctional Services Department officers.
Pham was attended to immediately but was later certified dead.
Mr Donald told the jury that there was no doubt Pham had been stabbed and killed.
The main issue for the jury was whether the defendants were the assailants.
The trial continues on Monday.
