Hong Kong man wanted in Taiwan murder case ‘could escape extradition’ after pleading guilty to money laundering charges

Court hears for first time that man admitted to killing his girlfriend after learning she was pregnant with another man’s child

Yet legal experts say Chan could escape extradition if he walks free of a money laundering sentence before the new fugitive bill is passed

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Chan Tong-kai being transported to court in Hong Kong in 2018. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 5:51pm, 12 Apr 2019Updated: 12:32am, 13 Apr 2019

A Hong Kong student wanted in Taiwan for the murder of his pregnant girlfriend pleaded guilty on Friday to money laundering charges at the High Court, raising the possibility of a prison term that could help him avoid extradition to the self-ruled island.

Chan Tong-kai, 20, is at the centre of a firestorm over the government’s proposal to allow the transfer of fugitives from Hong Kong to mainland China, Taiwan and Macau, with officials arguing that his case exposes a loophole that needs to be plugged.

The High Court heard for the first time that Chan admitted to police he had killed his girlfriend, Poon Hiu-wing, 20, while in Taiwan after learning that she was pregnant with another man’s child, hours before they were due to return to Hong Kong on February 17, 2018.

The Shenzhen-born student also admitted to taking her ATM card and withdrawing money from her account to pay credit card bills.

Chan has been on Taiwanese authorities’ wanted list since Poon’s decomposed body was found in bushes near a subway station on the outskirts of Taipei on March 13, 2018.

Taiwanese authorities said they had sought Chan’s extradition, but received no response from Hong Kong.

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