1-11-2024 (HONG KONG) A 34-year-old British businessman has been remanded in custody following his court appearance on Friday in connection with the alleged murder of an Indonesian domestic worker at a Hong Kong park waterfall.
Jamie Tzewee Chapman appeared before the magistrate’s court where he faced murder charges but did not enter a plea. His legal counsel made no application for bail, and the judge ordered the case be adjourned until January to facilitate a thorough police investigation.
The accused and his Hong Kong-based wife were apprehended on Tuesday upon their return from mainland China. Whilst Chapman remains in custody, his wife, who was initially detained on suspicion of aiding an offender, has since been released on bail as investigations continue.
According to police reports, Chapman was last seen with the victim, Mevi Novitasari, at a waterfall in Pok Fu Lam on Hong Kong Island late Sunday evening. Investigators revealed that Chapman departed the scene alone by taxi approximately 30 minutes later. The following morning, local residents discovered Novitasari’s body in the pond beneath the waterfall. Post-mortem findings indicated head trauma and drowning as causes of death.
Police Superintendent Sin Kwok-ming expressed serious concerns about the suspect’s behaviour following the incident. “The investigation has revealed numerous suspicious circumstances. The suspect failed to alert authorities and promptly left Hong Kong after the incident. Furthermore, crucial evidence connected to the suspect had vanished,” Sin stated at Tuesday’s press briefing.
“Given that this case involves the loss of human life, we are approaching it with utmost gravity. Our team is meticulously examining every aspect to establish the facts and ensure justice is served,” the superintendent added.
The deceased, aged approximately 25, was employed as a domestic worker in Hong Kong but had no direct employment connection to Chapman. Indonesian authorities confirmed that Novitasari hailed from Cilacap in Central Java province.
Judha Nugraha, Indonesia’s director of protection of citizens and legal entities, announced that arrangements are being made through the employment agency and Indonesian consulate to repatriate the victim’s remains. The consulate general has pledged to maintain close oversight of the ongoing investigation.
