A male Vietnamese and two accomplices attacked a compatriot and three of the victim’s friends with a cleaver and knives, after failing to strike a deal on the repayment of an 8,000-pataca debt during an open-air meeting on Rua do Templo Lin-Fong on Sunday night, and one of them, who suffered intracerebral haemorrhage and a fractured skull, was yesterday still in hospital after emergency surgery, Judiciary Police (PJ) spokesman Leng Kam Lon said.
The attack happened at about 9 p.m. on Sunday when the three suspects, one of who had borrowed 8,000 patacas from one of the four victims, met the latter group in Rua do Templo Lin-Fong to talk about repaying the debt, but as they were unable to reach a deal, the trio suddenly took out two knives and a cleaver and chopped the other four, during which only one of the victims was able to escape the attack, while the three injured later sought medical treatment at a hospital, according to yesterday’s special press conference.
It was not until 11:15 p.m. on Sunday that the Judiciary Police received a referral from the Public Security Police (PSP) to investigate the incident, Leng said, adding, according to the PJ investigation, that two knives and a cleaver, with blades of 10 centimetres, 35 centimetres, and 17.5 centimetres in length, respectively, believed to have been used in the attack, as well as two bloodstained umbrellas were found at the scene, while several bloodstains were also discovered there and nearby, Leng said.
Forensic examinations of the three injured showed, according to Leng, that one of them was found to have suffered an intracerebral haemorrhage and a fractured skull, which were initially life-threatening, and that his injuries were consistent with a physical attack causing serious bodily harm, while the other two victims suffered multiple stab wounds to their hands and feet, whose injuries have been classified as common injuries caused by a physical attack.
The Judiciary Police identified the three suspects and two of them, both surnamed Nguyen, were arrested separately at their home and workplace in Zape and the city centre on Monday, while the other suspect had left Macau via the Barrier Gate border checkpoint on that day. All the suspects and victims from Vietnam are non-resident workers (NRWs) in Macau, with the two arrestees, aged 33 and 35, working as a waiter and a cleaner, respectively.
Under questioning, the duo refused to cooperate with the police, Leng said, adding that after a comprehensive investigation, there were indications that they had made preparations for a physical attack before attending the meeting by arriving there with the two knives and the cleaver.
The duo were transferred to the Public Prosecutions Office (MP) yesterday for further investigation, where they face possible charges of causing grievous bodily harm and aggravated bodily harm, as well as using prohibited weapons, Leng noted.
Media not immediately informed
Meanwhile, asked by a reporter at a regular press conference, held shortly after yesterday’s special press conference about the case, why the Public Security Police had failed to inform the media about the case via SMS as usual, PSP spokeswoman Lai In Hong said that upon having received a report of a bloodstained knife and blood spots found on Rua do Templo Lin-Fong at around 9 p.m. on Sunday night, PSP officers were dispatched to the scene to investigate, but the officers did not find anyone injured or suspects in the surrounding area and were unable to ascertain whether it was a false alarm and, therefore, did not tell the media about it. She added that after a more in-depth investigation, officers found more suspected bloodstains in the vicinity, believing that wounding was possibly involved in the incident so that they notified the Judiciary Police at around 9:30 p.m. for follow-up investigation.
Lai also pointed out that usually the media are only informed about “specific” incidents, such as traffic accidents, the interception of suspects and cases involving injuries, but as PSP officers in this case only found a knife and suspected bloodstains after their arrival at the scene, it was difficult to specify the nature of the incident and, consequently, the media were not informed about the case. Lai was quick to add that the fact that the media were not informed about the case did not mean that the Public Security Police did not follow up on the case, in fact, according to Lai, PSP officers had continued to investigate and finally referred it to the Judiciary Police after confirming that the incident might involve a physical attack.
As to why the media was not informed of the referral of the case to the Judiciary Police, Lai said that the case had been referred to the Judiciary Police for follow up and that the case needed to be investigated, after which the Judiciary Police held a special press conference to brief the media on the details of the case.
Judiciary Police (PJ) officers escort the two hooded suspects from Vietnam – suspected of attacking four compatriots with two knives and a cleaver – to a vehicle outside the PJ headquarters in Zape yesterday. – Photos: Yuki Lei
Two bloodstained knives and a cleaver allegedly used in the brutal attack are displayed during yesterday’s press conference.
