Lai Man Wa
The Judiciary Police (PJ) yesterday revealed the content of a document from the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) relating to the death of the former director-general of the Customs Service, Lai Man Wa. “According to the evidence available, Lai Man Wa’s death was a suicide case. There is no evidence that her passing is related to criminal activity,” the MP statement reads.
PJ received the document on January 5, stating that the “rumors that surrounded the case created some controversy”. This in turn prompted the MP prosecutor to agree that more details about Lai Man Wa’s death could be publicized with the consent of family members.
The police have contacted the family of the deceased woman to find out if they would agree to the disclosure of information. It has been revealed that the family does not want the details to be made public. The police therefore stated that “it was not authorized to divulge the cause of the suicide.”
On the afternoon of October 30, Lai Man Wa was found dead in a public toilet near her home at Ocean Gardens. The police said that they arrived on the scene after receiving a call from the public toilets. Meanwhile, preparations were made for an impromptu press conference that accounted for Lai’s death as a suicide.
The reports from the PJ said that Lai was found with slashes at her neck and wrists, and with her head covered in a plastic bag. A post-mortem found that she had died from asphyxiation, but she was also said to have been carrying drugs and a bloody blade.
Despite an initial report from the Macau Forensic Medicine Department ruling out homicide, many demonstrated their reluctance to accept the findings – instead taking to social media to accuse authorities of a cover-up. Secretary for Security Wong denied the accusations, arguing that the evidence pointed to suicide.
But the government’s response failed to satisfy conspirators and brought about supplementary rumours that the authorities were withholding information from the public – rumours which were in turn made worse by the failure of the initial investigation to produce a motive.
Following criticism of the handling of the case by lawmakers, Wong pledged in November to disclose the suspected motive behind Lai’s death, only if he secured her family’s endorsement.
Other critics took a different line and alleged that the expantion of Macau’s maritime jurisdiction – a key element in the government’s plan for economic diversification – conflicted with gaming interests.
Speculation was aided by the resignation of senior gaming regulator Manuel Neves only days before. This came at a time when the Gaming Inspection Bureau was overseeing a tightening of junket regulation and audit requirements for the industry.
Others claimed that the former Customs chief had been under investigation by the Commission Against Corruption (CCAC). The timing was, again, unfortunate for the government, as it followed another instance of purported suicide two weeks prior, when CCAC officer Iong Lap Meng allegedly jumped to his death from the Dynasty Plaza building.
Suspicions were heightened when Iong’s widow claimed that her husband had been held under investigation by the CCAC around the time of his death, and that she suspected that some individuals in the CCAC were giving false statements. An internal investigation, which some have deemed insufficient, was conducted and completed at the organization on November 7.
The only public reaction to the case by Lai Man Wa’s family members happened at the day of her funeral and was witnessed by a Times reporter. Asked if the family felt doubtful about the case, Lai’s son shook his head and said: “There isn’t much to say.” PB/Staff reporter
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