14-1-2025 (HONG KONG) A Malaysian anaesthesiologist has been found guilty for the second time of murdering his wife and teenage daughter using a carbon monoxide-filled yoga ball, in a case that has gripped Hong Kong for nearly a decade.
Dr Khaw Kim Sun, 60, formerly of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, received the guilty verdict following a unanimous jury decision after more than three hours of deliberation in his retrial at the High Court.
The deaths occurred on 22 May 2015, when the bodies of Wong Siew Fing, 47, and her daughter Lily, 16, were discovered in their parked Mini Cooper. Post-mortem examinations revealed both victims had died from carbon monoxide poisoning emanating from a yoga ball placed in the boot of the vehicle.
During the proceedings, prosecutors detailed how Dr Khaw had orchestrated what he believed to be the perfect murder, exploiting his position as a medical researcher to obtain carbon monoxide. Evidence showed he had directed his laboratory assistants to procure the lethal gas and had filled two yoga balls with carbon monoxide mere days before the incident, claiming the gas was intended for pest control.
The case took an unexpected turn when Dr Khaw’s 2018 conviction was overturned by the Court of Final Appeal, which ruled the original trial judge had improperly directed the jury. The retrial was ordered to ensure a fair judicial process.
High Court Deputy Judge Brian Keith instructed jurors to approach the case with fresh perspective, disregarding any knowledge of the previous trial. The prosecution’s case was bolstered by evidence of Dr Khaw’s troubled personal life, including an extramarital affair and a deteriorating marriage.
Throughout the retrial, Dr Khaw maintained his innocence, arguing that the prosecution’s circumstantial evidence was insufficient to prove guilt. His defence team suggested the deaths may have been accidental rather than deliberate.
