ExplainerUniversity professor’s Hong Kong conviction for murder of wife and daughter quashed – what happens next?

In a shocking case that has captivated Hong Kong, Khaw Kim Sun, a university professor and anesthesiologist, was convicted of murdering his wife and daughter using a yoga ball filled with carbon monoxide. The tragic event occurred in 2015, and Khaw was sentenced to life in prison. However, Hong Kong's highest court has recently overturned his conviction, citing an unfair trial, and ordered a retrial. The new trial could take place by the end of next year.

The case first gained attention when Khaw's wife and daughter were discovered lifeless in their car, poisoned by carbon monoxide. Initially, Khaw was not considered a suspect. He was a respected medical professional with a position at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. It was only after a deflated yoga ball was found in the car's trunk that police arrested Khaw, nearly a year after the incident. Investigations revealed that Khaw had purchased carbon monoxide and was involved in a dispute with his wife over money, as well as having an extramarital affair.

Khaw's defense claimed that he had filled the yoga ball with the intention of using it to kill rats at his home, not to harm his family. He also suggested that his daughter, who knew about the gas, might have placed the ball in the car herself. The appeal focused on a missing stopper from the yoga ball, which was later found in Khaw's home. The court decided that the jury might have been misled by the judge's instructions, which suggested Khaw was the only possible culprit.

The Court of Final Appeal ruled that the evidence should be re-evaluated by a new jury. Khaw remains in prison but has the opportunity to apply for bail. If he is acquitted in the retrial, he may seek compensation from the government. The process of setting a new trial date and contacting witnesses will begin, and the legal proceedings will continue to unfold.