BACKGROUND
5-
18.
After extensive police investigations FU Sze-chau and
WONG Yik-fun were arrested on 20th December 1978, CHAN Kan-cheung on
19th January 1979, WONG Wing-tin on the 5th February 1979 and
CHAN Kan-sau on the 24th February 1979.
19.
All four petitioners made cautioned statements admitting
their involvement in the incident, but with the exception of
WONG Wing-tim they played down their own involvement. WONG Wing-tim
for his part admitted stabbing the deceased after the latter had
rushed at him. He tried to take all the blame onto himself. He
changed his story at his trial however and said that he thought the
paper bag actually did contain an account book. He did say however
that he only saw CHAN Kan-sau involved in the fight.
EVIDENCE
20.
There were a total of 47 prosecution witnesses.
21.
WONG Kan-shing (PW 6) was the driver of the debt collecting
expedition and gave evidence as to a conversation between the four
petitioners relating to the weapons which were collected and used on
the deceased. This evidence was crucial since it established that all
the petitioners knew themselves to be members of an armed band.
22.
Another witness NG Yar-shun, the person who ran the fruit
stall from which the bags containing the weapons were collected,
said that one of the bags had been left with him by CHAN Kan-sau on
the 1st December 1978.