TNAG-0679-FCO40-828-Allegations-of-corruption-and-bribery-in-Hong-Kong-1978 — Page 72

Re

Liu Ping-hon's Death

p.o

the course of their own investigation the students had found a

visible reddish-brown handprint on the roof of the Hon Ming

Building and about twenty feet from where it was surmised the

deceased had fallen. This handprint, however, had not existed

when Sen. Insp. Ho had first inspected the roof-top on the

29th July.

SUM TOTAL OF POSITIVE EVIDENCE

In what was a most comprehensive and accurate summing up to

the jury, Coroner Leonard stressed that this case was notable

for the almost complete paucity of positive evidence of any

kind as to the exact cause of death. Indeed, the sole piece

of direct evidence indicating that Liu Ping-hon had actually

fallen from a considerable height from the Hon Ming Building

(thus corroborating the inferential conclusion from the

position of and damage to the body) was the evidence of one

Lam Chant, a resident of the Tung Chi Building.

Lam Chant had testified that early on the morning of the

26th July, at about 7.15-7.20 am, he had followed his normal

practice of proceeding to the roof of the Tung Chi Building

(10 storeys) with his two caged birds. Whilst doing his

customary exercises he had glanced across to the Hon Ming

Building opposite and saw a falling object cross his line of

vision. He first saw this falling object, which he believed

to be a person in reddish clothing, when it was some 2-3 floors

above his own line of vision. He did not however investigate

further, being frightened, and shortly afterwards heard an

ambulance in the street below. He could not recall whether

any sound emanated from the body during its descent.

Apart from this evidence from Lam Chant, which was in

line with the pathologist's testimony that the deceased must

have fallen from a height exceeding 5 storeys,

there were no

eyewitnesses whatsoever. The watchman of the Hon Ming Building,

one Wong Lok, testified that he had seen or heard nothing.