Stephen Chow called a liar by ex-girlfriend's lawyer

Comedian Stephen Chow Sing-chi was branded a liar in court yesterday by lawyers for his ex-girlfriend, who is claiming HK$80 million in commission for financial advice she says she gave him.

Lawyers for Alice Yu Man-fung were challenging Chow's application in the Court of First Instance to have her claim thrown out without trial.

Yu was Chow's girlfriend between 1997 and 2010. She has sued the film director and a company linked to him, Star Royale, seeking commission that she says she is owed for getting Chow involved in the lucrative Skyhigh redevelopment on The Peak.

Yu's lawsuit involves one of four Skyhigh properties which Chow has an interest in through a joint venture between Star Royale and Ryoden Development. Three of them have been sold, with one fetching a record HK$800 million in May last year.

Chow lives in the fourth house. Yu is seeking 10 per cent of the after-tax profit on its sale, based on an agreement between her and Chow to that effect, and assuming it is worth HK$800 million. But Mr Justice Andrew Chung On-tak questioned whether Yu could file the claim when the house was not yet sold.

The judge suggested financial advice included guidance on when to invest and when to sell.