Hong Kong murder accused considered fleeing to Australia but flight time put them off
Taiwan thought to be best option for escape as mainland China was ruled out over visa issues
Three Hong Kong men accused of murdering an acquaintance and fusing him in a “concrete coffin” considered fleeing to Australia but thought the long travel time would increase their chances of being arrested, the High Court heard on Thursday.
Instead the trio, Keith Lau, Tsang Cheung-yan, and Cheung Sin-hang, fled to Taiwan after the death of Cheung Man-li.
Lau told the police after his arrest that he and his co-defendants took flight time to Australia into account when they made their plan to escape. Believing it would take far longer than they had, the three men concluded it would be too much of a risk.
“We might get arrested as soon as we alight the aircraft,” Lau told the officers in an interview.
Lau said the three men also discussed mainland China as a possible destination, but Lau did not have a visa to travel to the mainland.