Rooftop pyre for Kumari in Kowloon

A middle-aged Chinese cook was charged on Thursday in a Hong Kong court with murdering a young Sri Lankan female migrant worker, who was said to be two months’ pregnant at the time of her tragic death.The 43-year-old cook, Tsoi Wai-hung, did not enter a plea when he was brought before Kowloon City Court. He was charged under the Offences Against the Person Ordinance, Cap 212 Laws of Hong Kong and the Common Law.

Magistrates Courts in Hong Kong exercise criminal jurisdiction over a variety of indictable and summary offences. All criminal proceedings begin in magistracies. The Secretary for Justice may transfer cases to higher courts depending on the seriousness of the offence. In general, the jurisdiction is a maximum of two years’ imprisonment and a fine of HK$100,000 (Rs 1.42 million). The Sri Lankan girl, Jeewanthi Kumari Rajapaksha, is reported to be 24 years old and pregnant at the time of her murder.

Firemen responding to an alarm had found her unconscious as dawn was set to break on Wednesday, August 1, at her rooftop flat, Room B at Un Chau, Street in Sham Shui Po. Sham Shui Po is a run-down city in northwest Kowloon known for its urban decay and heavily-poverty-ridden population of less than 400,000. Hong Kong Police said, the Sri Lankan girl was ‘’certified dead at the scene.’’ Arson is suspected.

A long time Sri Lankan resident who assists Sri Lankan migrant workers in Hong Kong noted this was the second tragic death of a young Sri Lankan girl this year. Early April, a Sri Lankan domestic helper from Kurunegala died of severe burns suffered in a gas stove explosion at her lodging. Her remains lay in a hospital morgue until about the end of April before being flown home.

The resident noted that many Sri Lankan women become vulnerable when they abuse their conditions of stay.“Some live on illegally when their contracts expire running the gauntlet of police and immigration officers, day in and day out. And when they face tragic deaths, it is near impossible to quickly identify who they really are,’’ he said. Others take unnecessary risks living on with bogus documents. ‘’The Foreign Ministry, the Bureau of Foreign Employment and Immigration and Emigration officials must now begin to smoke out the evil fraudsters who prey on our innocent migrant workers, arranging adulterated papers, facilitating illegal entry and preparing fake passports. We must not punish the migrant workers. They are leaving our shores to make a living. They have a right to leave for employment. Usually, it is the migrant workers who are harassed at the Colombo airport and they are even taxed by the FEB in the name of so-called insurance. And yet, when they die, the insurance cover is inadequate to bring their remains home, ’’ he said.

On Thursday, major Chinese dailies, the Apple Daily and The Sun reported that the suspect, married with two children and living in another similarly poverty-ridden city, Tin Shui Wai, is to be charged with murder. According to the two popular Chinese dailies, the girl had been unable to pay rent, and in exchange, had offered sexual favours to the man, her eventual killer. This is, as yet, unsubstantiated, although reported.

In all, eight Chinese newspapers reported the murder on Thursday with pictures of the suspect, hooded and handcuffed, being escorted to the scene of the crime. He was seen in shorts and T shirt. One paper also published a picture of the Sri Lankan girl’s corpse being loaded onto a mortuary lorry. The cook has been remanded in custody and the case was adjourned for October 25. The Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry is aware of the death and is proceeding with follow up work through the Embassy in Beijing.