Hong Kong court denies bail to manager accused of manslaughter over deaths of 2 workers in underground tube at construction site

A Hong Kong court has denied bail to a project manager of a construction site accused of manslaughter after two workers died in an underground chamber filled with toxic gas last weekend.

Yip Lai-pan, 40, appeared in Tuen Mun Court on a count of manslaughter on Saturday, a day after another court rejected bail to a 62-year-old subcontractor facing the same charge. Both work for the site managed by the MTR Corporation in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Yip, an employee of main contractor Raft (E & M) Engineering Limited and a part-time instructor at the Hong Kong Institute of Vocational Education, was not required to speak other than when he was asked to confirm he understood the allegation.

Magistrate Raymond Wong Kwok-fai granted prosecutors’ request for a three-month adjournment pending further police inquiries.

Wong dismissed Yip’s application for temporary release but scheduled another hearing for next Thursday for the accused to renew his bail bid before a different magistrate.

The manager’s case will be heard again in Kowloon City Court in late December.

A charge sheet available for press inspection said Yip “did unlawfully kill” the two workers beneath the Lyric Theatre Complex at 1 Austin Road West between September 23 and 24.

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It did not specify whether the alleged offence was a result of gross negligence or an unlawful act.

Lau Ho-cheong, 63, and Kwok For-kee, 61, died last Sunday after being trapped in an underground tube for more than 12 hours.

Yip filed a report to police that morning and helped in the investigation that followed.

But authorities were unable to contact subcontractor Shum Yuk-kuen, director of Shum Development Limited, until he entered a police station in the early hours of Wednesday.

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Police first arrested Shum for allegedly breaching the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, but later upgraded the allegation to manslaughter and charged him.

Yip was also arrested on Thursday night on suspicion of manslaughter.

Shum was remanded in custody after an appearance before Kowloon City Court on Friday.

Prosecutors earlier said police needed more time to examine evidence seized at the scene, review security footage and take witness statements from those involved while awaiting autopsy reports.

Police have not ruled out pressing further charges against the duo as the Yau Tsim district crime squad continues with the investigation.

Manslaughter is punishable by up to life imprisonment.