‘Master meat cutter’ murder suspect claims police officers beat him to force confession
- Man claims he was punched and kneed by officers during investigation in 2016
- The 51-year-old has denied murdering his ex-wife’s aunt, whose body has never been found
A “master meat cutter” who denied butchering his ex-wife’s aunt told a court on Thursday that Hong Kong police had beaten him into making a false confession that he witnessed her demise and disposed of her bloodstained clothes.
Ngan Wing-chau, 51, claimed he ate a cup of noodles, watched TV and took a nap when Chan Sau-wa, 62, was allegedly murdered, but decided to invent a story after he was punched and kneed by officers who wanted him to cooperate during the investigation in May 2016.
“The pain I suffered at the time was really beyond description,” Ngan told a jury of four men and three women. “So I thought to myself, ‘why don’t I make up a story so I won’t be beaten up?’”
The High Court previously heard the butcher was arrested by police and held for questioning after Chan’s son reported her missing.
Prosecutors said the woman was last seen on CCTV entering Iskra Building, on Cheung Sha Wan Road, on May 1, 2016 about 30 minutes after Ngan, whom they described as “a master meat cutter”, had arrived home.
If I don’t talk … this group of animals won’t treat me as human
They also highlighted footage that allegedly showed him leaving the building with a suitcase and some plastic bags on five occasions the same night.