A British expat has been charged with the murder of an Indonesian domestic worker in Hong Kong.
Jamie Tzewee Chapman, 34, is accused of killing Mevi Novitasari, 25, at Waterfall Bay Park on Hong Kong Island.
Novitasari’s body was discovered in a pool beneath a waterfall on Monday morning.
Police immediately sought Chapman, who they said had visited the waterfall with Novitasari.
The body was discovered in Hong Kong on Monday
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Chapman was arrested upon returning from mainland China on Tuesday afternoon.
He appeared in Eastern Court on Friday, where he entered no plea and was remanded in custody.
The case has shocked the local community, with reports suggesting Chapman and Novitasari were involved in an affair, despite him not being her employer.
According to police reports, Chapman and Novitasari met at the top of the waterfall around 11pm on Sunday night.
It is alleged that Chapman attempted to end their relationship during this meeting.
A source quoted by the South China Morning Post said: “They took a taxi to the park, where the man asked to break up with her. But the woman became emotionally agitated and suddenly jumped off the waterfall.”
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Mevi Novitasari’s body was discovered at Waterfall Bay Park
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Police believe Chapman went to the pool at the bottom of the waterfall, determined Novitasari was dead, and fled the scene in a taxi without reporting the incident.
He then travelled to mainland China via high-speed train to Guangzhou.
Novitasari, who had lived in Hong Kong for four years, was identified by her phone and slippers found at the bottom of the waterfall.
The businessman is now set to appear in court again on January 24.
A 36-year-old woman was also arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender but has since been released on bail.
Superintendent Sin Kwok-ming stated that the case was being treated as murder due to the suspect’s actions.
He said: “All these circumstances suggest that this is not a case of natural death.”
The police official noted that Chapman had done “many unreasonable things”, including failing to contact authorities after the incident.
Sin added that some evidence had disappeared, further complicating the investigation.
Novitasari’s death was attributed to drowning, with head injuries also reported.
Hong Kong police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the domestic worker’s death.
