A GANG of six men kidnapped a 15-year-old schoolgirl after beating up her father, the High Court heard yesterday.
The beating was carried out to force the father to repay the gang a $3 million debt, allegedly owed to them by his wife, the court was told.
The court also heard that the girl, Wu Lai-fun, who heard her father screaming during the assault, only went with the gang to protect him from further attack.
Being tried by a jury before Deputy Judge Cannon are Lee Ming-yeung, 24, Wong Chun-kam, 44, Lam Chiu-hung, 22, his younger brother Lam Chiu-hung, 21, and Luk Sau-fu, 23.
Each has pleaded not guilty to one count of forcibly taking away and detaining a person with intent to procure a ransom. Lee and Luk admitted assaulting Wu Kin-lin. Wong has denied the joint charge.
Prosecutor Richard Donald told the court that Lai-fun returned home from school on November 3. As she was about to enter the flat, she was grabbed by one of the defendants and taken to where the other five men were waiting.