Assault charges dropped against pianist who allegedly hit wife

Prosecutors dropped assault charges against pianist Liu Shih-kun for allegedly hitting his wife during an argument in January, in a surprise turn of events yesterday.

After considering the evidence, they had decided to clear Liu unconditionally, they said during a hearing before acting Principal Magistrate Bina Chainrai in Eastern Court.

Liu's defence counsel, Cheng Huan, said police should not have charged his client without obtaining sufficient information first. The defendant had suffered, he said.

Outside court after being cleared, Liu proclaimed his innocence.

'In this incident, I was wrongly accused. I never hit anyone. On the contrary, it was I who was hit by someone, but it just so happens that the person who hit me reported it first and the police charged me with hitting them,' he said. 'I never worried that it would affect my name because I never did anything illegal, I never hit anybody.'

Liu will consider later whether to demand compensation for legal costs.

Police arrested Liu on January 7 and charged him with assault occasioning actual bodily harm for allegedly hitting his wife, Koi Yin, 48, in the Liu Shih Kun Institution of Piano & Arts in North Point. Ms Koi allegedly suffered injuries to her head, back and arms. Police laid the charges before seeking legal advice from the Department of Justice, a department spokeswoman said yesterday.