Abby Choi’s ex-brother-in-law tells court he had ‘a rather special existence’

The former brother-in-law of slain Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi Tin-fung has insisted in court that the model was “not in a position” to blame him for her strained relationship with his family before her alleged murder, citing their friendship and his contribution to her children’s upbringing.

Anthony Kwong Kong-kit on Tuesday portrayed himself as “a rather special existence” between the two families, saying that he had been a “very good friend” of the model before he joined his father and younger brother in the illegal disposal of her body after her death.

He also described what he saw as the weak personality of his brother, Alex Kwong Kong-chi, who allegedly took whatever harsh criticism his “dominant” ex-wife Choi had for him without firing back.

Anthony was continuing with his testimony in the High Court for the second day, after a juror’s request to be discharged from the nine-member panel for personal reasons was accepted by the presiding judge.

The 35-year-old is contesting a joint count of murder alongside his younger brother Alex, 31, and his father Kwong Kau, 68, for allegedly conspiring to kill Choi on February 21, 2023.

The brothers admitted to preventing the burial of the 28-year-old’s body before the trial began in late September. The elder Kwong, a retired police sergeant, also pleaded guilty to the charge midway through the trial.

Prosecutors allege that the crime stemmed from a family feud over the proposed sale of a HK$72 million flat at the upmarket Kadooria residential complex in Ho Man Tin.

Kwong Kau, the flat’s registered owner, allegedly resented Choi for trying to sell the home, which she originally bought for the two children she had with Alex.

The court previously heard that the families’ relationship broke down after a bitter argument over parenting at the Kadooria flat in June 2022. The elder Kwong allegedly attempted to attack his former daughter-in-law, swore at her and called her a “birthing machine”.

Anthony said Choi was equally emotional as his father during the quarrel, hurling insults at him while trying to get close to him before she was pulled back by her former mother-in-law, Jenny Li Sui-heung.

Choi subsequently barred Kwong Kau from visiting the luxury home and seeing his two grandchildren, prompting the retiree to take refuge at either his elder son’s 280 square foot subsidised flat in Tsuen Wan’s Sheung Man Court, or his mistress’s home, the court heard.

The defendant said his family arranged for Choi’s two children to meet their paternal grandfather on multiple occasions, much to her dismay.

During the Chinese New Year holiday in 2023, Choi tried to have a video call with her children while she was attending a fashion event in France, only to find out later that Kwong Kau and his two sons had taken them to a Jumpin Gym USA arcade near Anthony’s home, the trial heard.

Anthony said Choi became increasingly agitated as his mother Li, himself and Alex all appeared evasive when asked to explain her children’s whereabouts over the phone.

But the defendant said Choi had never spoken harshly to him.

“I was a rather special existence in the household. I was part of the Kwong family, but at the same time I was a very good friend with Abby,” he said.

“In addition, after the children’s birth and up until 2023, I had been helping her look after her children, so if she had to find fault and blame someone, she would blame my mother and Alex, but she would not blame me because she was not in a position to do so.”

Anthony also claimed that he once told his brother to “act like a man” and talk back to his ex-wife, but the younger Kwong allegedly said he was “used to it”.

The defendant said he became Choi’s stand-in driver in November 2022 after his family used an excuse to force her former chauffeur to quit.

According to Anthony, Choi decided to replace her chauffeur, Chin Kei-shun, after he allegedly stole her money and yelled at other residents and management staff at the Kadooria development. Anthony’s mother had also been harassed by phone calls claiming that Chin had failed to repay a debt.

Anthony said that he and his mother decided to falsely represent to Chin that the chauffeur had to go on leave for three months without pay, because the two families would be travelling overseas together, whereas in fact Choi and her partner, Chris Tam Fong-chun, were the only ones travelling.

Separately, Kwong Kau allegedly told Anthony that he wanted to rent a place to live alone in light of the cramped living space at the Tsuen Wan flat.

Anthony said his father told him on February 5 the following year that he had rented a 600 square foot flat in Tai Po’s Lung Mei village. Some of Choi’s dismembered remains were discovered inside the premises 19 days later.

The defendant said that his father had asked Alex to borrow a car from a friend so that he could use it to move household items into his supposed new home.

The trial resumes on Wednesday before Deputy Judge Brian Keith and the eight-member jury.