A mainland Chinese man was arrested for attacking his friend with a kitchen knife after failing to recover a HK$15,000 gambling loan, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Lei Chi Hou said during a special press conference on Friday at their Zape headquarters.
The suspect, surnamed Mo, aged 36, claimed to be unemployed and had overstayed in Macau for about a year.
According to Lei, police were notified by the Public Security Police Force (PSP) at about 2:38 a.m. on Thursday that a mainland Chinese male had been injured in a knife attack at a restaurant on Avenida de Lopo Sarmento de Carvalho (賈羅布大馬路).
The investigation revealed that Mo and the victim had met at the restaurant in August. The victim subsequently borrowed HK$15,000 from Mo for gambling, promising to give him a “gratuity” if he won. However, the victim lost the entire amount and was unable to repay the debt.
Lei also said the two men met at a restaurant on Rua de Pequim in Zape on the night of September 16 to discuss repayment. After failing to recover the money, Mo later went to another restaurant on Avenida de Lopo Sarmento de Carvalho at about 1:00 a.m. the following day, where he again demanded repayment.
Mo allegedly became angry after the victim refused to repay him and appeared dismissive. He then entered the restaurant’s kitchen, grabbed a kitchen knife, and repeatedly attacked the victim’s head and upper body at least 10 times.
The victim used a wooden chair to fend off the attack but sustained multiple injuries. He was taken to the public Conde S. Januário Hospital Centre for treatment.
The victim suffered multiple injuries to his head, face, and torso, while the middle section of his right little finger sustained a comminuted fracture. According to Gemini, a comminuted fracture is a medical term for a bone that has broken into three or more fragments.
He is expected to require about three months to recover.
According to Lei, police identified Mo as the suspect and arrested him at about 7:00 a.m. on Thursday at a spa in Nape.
During the operation, officers seized the suspected weapon: a kitchen knife with an 18-centimetre blade. Lei said there were strong indications that Mo had deliberately targeted the victim’s vital areas, indicating an intention to kill him.
Mo was transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP), facing charges of attempted murder, possession or use of prohibited weapons, and loan sharking. His overstaying case will be handled separately.
Lei added that there was currently no evidence that Mo had engaged in other illegal activities during his period of overstaying, but police will continue to investigate.
The hooded murder suspect is escorted by Judiciary Police (PJ) officers on Saturday from the PJ headquarters in Zape to a PJ vehicle en route to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP). – Photo: MPDG
