Accused admitted to police he killed 3 prostitutes, court told

A man accused of killing three prostitutes in as many days in March last year told police he was forced to kill them because he had lost money in Macau, a court heard yesterday.

According to the prosecution, Nadeem Razaq, 24, said to a sergeant after the officer arrested him: 'Ah sir, let me say frankly to you: I was forced to kill them. I lost money in Macau. They forced me to kill them so that I snatched money to repay them.'

Razaq also allegedly sent text messages in Urdu to his brother admitting he had committed the murders and asking for help from a mobile phone of one of the victims.

The claims were read as part of an opening statement by prosecutor Arthur Luk Yee-shun SC yesterday as Razaq faced the first day of his trial at the Court of First Instance for the murders of Sze Ming-lan, 35, Sun Xiumin, 30, and Tse Hau-yuen, 35, on March 14, 16 and 15 last year, respectively. Razaq, a Hong Kong man of Pakistani origin, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder.

Sze, Sun and Tse were sex workers from the mainland who had settled legally in Hong Kong and operated one-woman brothels. They were found in flats on Tung Lok Street in Yuen Long, and on Wai Yan Street and Kwon Fuk Road in Tai Po. Autopsies determined they had been killed by pressure to the neck, Mr Luk said.

A government forensic scientist found DNA matching Razaq's on a used condom containing semen and a bloodied garment at Sze's flat, a used condom at Sun's, a plastic straw at Tse's and nail clippings taken from her, Mr Luk said. Police found four palm prints that allegedly matched Razaq's at Sze's flat.