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Second Ellerslie murder-accused appears in court, keeps name secret

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sat, 11 Nov 2023, 9:12am

Second Ellerslie murder-accused appears in court, keeps name secret

Author
NZ Herald,
Publish Date
Sat, 11 Nov 2023, 9:12am

A second man charged with murdering Ellerslie couple Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok and Mei Han Chong at their home on November 5 has appeared in court, and will keep his name secret for now.

The man appeared in person before a Justice of the Peace in the Auckland District Court this morning jointly charged with two counts of murder and one count of unlawfully taking a vehicle.

He was wearing a white boiler suit with his head bowed and his hands by his side.

His lawyer sought and was granted interim suppression of the man’s name.

The Justice granted the man suppression of name, address, family details and occupation.

The Justice did not allow the media to take pictures of the man.

He was remanded in custody without plea ahead of his next appearance in the High Court at Auckland on November 29.

Second man arrested, charged with murder

The 26-year-old man was arrested by police at a Glenfield home in northwest Auckland on Friday evening, police said.

The man was charged with two counts of murder, and police detective inspector Scott Beard says police are not looking for anyone else in relation to the investigation.

“While arrests have been made, there are still a number of inquiries yet to be completed,” Beard said.

”We can advise the scene examination has now been completed at the Greenhithe area where Ms Chong was located.”

An autopsy on Chong’s body is due to be carried out today.

“Police are continuing to provide support to the family at the centre of this tragic incident,” Beard said.

The second arrest follows the earlier arrest of a 42-year-old man, who appeared by audio-visual link in court yesterday. He, too, is from Glenfield, but was arrested in Hamilton.

A scene investigation in Kereru Grove in Auckland's Greenhithe was conducted yesterday. Photo / Jason DordayA scene investigation in Kereru Grove in Auckland's Greenhithe was conducted yesterday. Photo / Jason Dorday 

Detectives had yesterday been scouring at least four crime scenes around Auckland in connection with the alleged murders. 

Kwok, 66, was stabbed multiple times at his home in Ellerslie, allegedly on Sunday, November 5, and a family member found his body the following Monday evening. 

His wife, Mei Han Chong, 67, went missing after the alleged murder, prompting a police search for her and the couple’s car. Police initially said Chong could have been either a suspect or a victim. 

Police later revealed Chong didn’t drive, and evidence inside the couple’s home suggested she didn’t leave of her own accord. Police then found her body in a bush area in Greenhithe overnight on Thursday. 

Chong’s body was winched up a steep bank and a post-mortem examination was expected to be completed today. 

Dead man’s colleagues remember him as ‘good guy’ 

Kwok, 66, was stabbed multiple times at his home in Ellerslie, allegedly on Sunday, November 5, and a family member found his body the following Monday evening.Kwok, 66, was stabbed multiple times at his home in Ellerslie, allegedly on Sunday, November 5, and a family member found his body the following Monday evening. 

Kwok’s colleagues at North Shore Hospital said he would be deeply missed as a “respected” colleague and “good guy”. 

Staff said Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok worked as a senior orthopaedic nurse there. 

Kwok, a theatre nurse, was “a very wise, respected” health worker and a “good guy”, a staff member told the Herald. 

Brad Healey, interim group director of operations at Te Whatu Ora-Waitematā, extended condolences to the hospital’s theatre team, who were mourning their “respected colleague”. 

“Joseph was a valued and well-liked member of our North Shore Hospital family and I would like to acknowledge his exceptional service,” Healey said. 

“Our hearts are with those who worked with him. 

“They are feeling this loss immensely and we will ensure they are supported through this period.” 

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