Father of murdered woman at center of extradition row begged Lam to consider alternatives: HK01

Chan Tong-kai (left) and his then-girlfriend, Poon Hiu-wing (right), whom he stands accused of murdering in Taiwan last February. Photo via Facebook.
Chan Tong-kai (left) and his then-girlfriend, Poon Hiu-wing (right), whom he stands accused of murdering in Taiwan last February. Photo via Facebook.

With protests against a deeply unpopular extradition bill already in full swing last month, the parents of Poon Hiu-wing — the victim in the murder case that first spurred the introduction of the bill — petitioned Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to explore other ways of bringing their daughter’s killer to justice in Taiwan, HK01 reported yesterday.

Often forgotten amid the massive protests, violent clashes, and political turmoil surrounding the anti-extradition movement is the case of Poon and her then-boyfriend Chan Tong-kai, who is accused of killing Poon during a Valentine’s Day getaway in Taiwan in February of 2018 before fleeing back to Hong Kong.

The government has repeatedly cited the case, and their inability to return Chan to Taiwan to face trial, as their impetus for the controversial extradition bill, which would scrap a clause in the city’s existing extradition law that expressly forbids extradition to “any other part of the People’s Republic of China,” including Taiwan.

However, as opposition to the bill mounted — prompted by fears that it would also expose Hongkongers to the mainland’s much-maligned legal system — the bill was shelved, and Chan’s case was seemingly put on the back burner.

In a letter sent to embattled Chief Executive Lam on June 26, shortly after she announced a “pause” in work on the bill, Poon’s father pleaded with Lam to consider other options for handling Chan’s case — some of them already mooted by experts as possible solutions to the extradition impasse.

HK01 yesterday reported that that the letter outlined four possible avenues for addressing the case: considering the extradition request from Taiwan on a “single case” basis; conducting the transfer by executive order, also on a one-off basis; giving Hong Kong’s courts extraterritorial jurisdiction, empowering them to hear the case here; and finally, convincing Chan to surrender himself to Taiwan of his own volition.

The letter wasn’t the first time alternative suggestions have been presented, though the Hong Kong government has so far proven unreceptive.

The Bar Association, for instance, endorsed a Taiwan-only ad hoc extradition arrangement, according to the Standard. A pro-democracy lawmaker, meanwhile, proposed a legal amendment giving courts extraterritorial jurisdiction in cases involving eight serious offenses, including murder, but the Security Bureau swatted down the idea.

When contacted by HK01 about the letter, a government spokesperson declined to even confirm Lam’s office had received it, saying it would be inappropriate to do so. Meanwhile, earlier today, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng declined to answer reporters’ questions as to whether the government would explore alternative means of addressing Chan’s case, according to RTHK.

It remains unclear how or whether the government will ultimately deal with Chan, but as Poon’s father’s letter noted, there is a ticking clock on the matter. After his sentencing for financial crimes, Chan is expected to be released from prison in October, and could feasibly leave Hong Kong’s jurisdiction altogether.



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