Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok and Mei Han Chong. Photo: Supplied / NZ police
The trial for the man accused of murdering a couple in the Auckland suburb of Ellerslie two years ago has begun.
Lok Fung Lorrence Li, 27, is charged alongside Shu Man Poon, 43, for the killing of Fuk-Fu Joseph Kwok and his wife Mei Han Chong at their home in November 2023.
The pair are also charged with conspiring to murder another person in a separate incident.
Proceedings were due to start on Monday but were delayed, with Li's trial commencing on Thursday.
Jury selection was underway in the High Court at Auckland before Justice David Johnstone.
The scene of the homicide on Celtic Crescent in Ellerslie, Auckland. Photo: RNZ / Nick Monro
Police found Kwok's body in their Ellerslie home after he had been stabbed several times.
Chong's body was found days later in the Greenhithe area.
A post-mortem revealed she died from blunt force injuries to her head.
The couple moved to New Zealand from Hong Kong in 1988. They both had multiple siblings, two of whom also lived in New Zealand.
Chong had been a nurse before becoming a midwife and was a supportive mother to her and Kwok's son - their only child.
Kwok was an orthopaedic nurse for many years and was "happy in his own world" and cared about supporting his family and doing a good job.
Police at the time described the killing as beyond comprehension for the family.
"Joseph and Mei were a loving couple whose careers involved helping other people," said Detective Inspector Scott Beard while addressing media at the time.
The Crown was expected to deliver opening remarks later on Thursday.
A lengthy list of witnesses called for the trial was read out to the potential jury.
Li sat in the dock during jury selection, flanked by court interpreters.
The jury was selected, and heard pleas of not guilty from Li as he stood the dock.
Justice Johnstone urged jurors not the investigate the case themselves outside of court or on the internet.
"I know that that may sound like I'm being obstructive," Johnstone said.
"But the idea is to assist with the fairness of the trial and the correctness of the trial, because you need to judge the case based on the evidence that we all hear or see here in court..."
The trial continues.
