During the ongoing high-profile murder trial in Hong Kong, the victim’s husband, Tam Fong-chuen, testified on October 13, 2026, about his relationship with Abby Choi, detailing how they grew close after her former husband Kwong Kong-chi suddenly vanished, while defense lawyers pressed Choi’s mother over gambling debts and threats.
Tam Fong-chuen Details Relationship Origins and Years of Childcare
Testifying before Deputy Judge Brian Keith in the High Court, Tam Fong-chuen described first crossing paths with Choi around 2013 and 2014 through his school classmate, Kwong Kong-chi, who was married to Choi at the time. After Tam returned from studying in Australia, Kwong abruptly disappeared in 2015. When Tam asked Choi about Kwong’s whereabouts, she told him the former husband was safe but her location for him was unknown, according to court reporting from the proceedings.
Tam stated that as he spent time accompanying Choi and helping care for her children, romance blossomed. The two began dating in late 2015, married roughly a month later, and welcomed a daughter in September 2016. Tam confirmed in his testimony that he continues to look after Choi and Kwong’s two older children to this day.
Testimony Alleges Physical Attack and Abusive Outburst Over a Sick Child
The courtroom proceedings also examined mounting family tensions inside the property at Kadoorie Hill. Tam recounted an incident during the summer of 2022 when one of the children fell ill with a fever. An argument erupted between Choi and Kwong’s mother, Jenny Li, after Li warned Kwong Kong-chi not to get too close to avoid catching the sickness.
Tam told the court that the dispute escalated sharply before the situation turned physical. According to his testimony, the victim’s former father-in-law, Kwong Kau, twice lunged at Choi while shouting profanities and insults, telling her she was merely a baby-making machine
. Tam stepped between them to block a second assault, after which Choi told him she wanted to get away from the family because they had become terrifying and ungrateful.
Financial Disclosures and Family Wealth Background in Court
Prosecutors and defense counsel probed the financial scale surrounding the family, including the background of the Tam family’s former business. Tam confirmed that his family co-owned the Tamjai Yunnan Mixian restaurant chain, which was sold to a Japanese corporate buyer in 2018 for HK$1 billion among four shareholder relatives.
Tam testified that his father maintained a very generous relationship with Choi, providing monthly living and educational expenses between HK$200,000 and HK$300,000, alongside large capital sums totaling roughly HK$70 million to HK$80 million for investments.
Defense Cross-Examination Focuses on Mother’s Debts and Red Paint Threats
Earlier in the proceedings, defense lawyers cross-examined Choi’s mother, Cheung Yin-fa, regarding her financial dealings, alleged gambling debts, and messages concerning property arrangements. Defense questioning touched upon claims that Choi and Kwong Kong-chi had helped Cheung settle gambling losses and that a vehicle belonging to Cheung had been splashed with red paint over an alleged HK$1.6 million debt dispute involving triad figures.
Cheung rejected the assertions that Kwong had ever assisted her financially, angrily denouncing the claims on the stand while maintaining that the Kadoorie Hill property purchase and registration details were separate from her personal acquaintances. Police investigators also testified regarding messaging logs and administrative checks conducted during the ongoing murder proceedings.
The High Court trial is being presided over by Deputy Judge Brian Keith, with proceedings conducted in English. The prosecution team includes outside senior counsel Charlotte Draycott, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Leung Yuk-hang, Senior Public Prosecutors Lam Hiu-man and Ng Hei-lok, and Public Prosecutor Yin Pui-hin. The three defendants are represented by respective defense counsels: Trevor Beel for Kwong Kong-kit, Oliver Davies and Lo Tin-ki for Kwong Kau, and Andrew J. Raffell for Kwong Kong-chi.