Police have arrested a man suspected of raping a preteen girl at a Tuen Mun housing estate in 1983. The 13-year-old victim is no longer alive today.
Wong, 58, will appear in court Tuesday over one count of rape and one count of burglary.
According to HK01, the breakthrough on the 38-year-old case came when police officers were on patrol in Tsuen Wan Sunday. Finding Wong’s behavior suspicious, they stepped forward and conducted an identity check.
They arrested him upon realizing that he is wanted over a decades-old rape case.
Police said in a statement that Wong is suspected of stealing HK$160 (US$20) from a flat in Sun Fat Estate—which was torn down in 2002—in Tuen Mun on Jan. 21, 1983 and raping a 13-year-old.
According to HK01, the preteen girl has since passed away.
Wong was 20 years old at the time.
A barrister told the local media outlet that there is no statute of limitations for bringing prosecution in Hong Kong courts for criminal cases, especially with more serious charges such as rape and murder. But the long window that has since passed could affect whether the accused would be found guilty due to factors like changed testimonies and difficulty in collecting evidence.
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