A housewife has denied handling properties her husband stole from a 25-year-old businesswoman’s home despite some of the luxury items worth HK$11.5 million (US$1.48 million) being found in her bedroom, a Hong Kong court has heard.
The trial of Li Yang, 35, opened at the High Court on Wednesday, almost four years after the home of So Mei-yan, a cosmetics company owner who enjoyed a following on social media for her posts about luxury items, was robbed on November 24, 2020. Li has denied one count of handling stolen goods. Prosecutor Edward Laskey told the jury that although no evidence tied the defendant to the “sophisticated robbery”, Li had taken on the role of storing and disposing of stolen goods.
Laskey said Li knew that three handbags, a computer bag and a fur coat stored in her home were stolen by her husband and two others. The prosecution also alleged Li was involved in renting a flat opposite the victim’s home so her movements could be observed. Evidence showed the defendant went up to that flat before the day of the crime, indicating she was “more likely aware of what was going on”, Laskey said.
When police went to the defendant’s home in December that year, officers had to force their way inside as she refused to open the door, he said. The trial is scheduled to last for seven days and will continue on Thursday..