Man held in Hong Kong in relation to Belfast waitress murder

Detectives from the North today arrested a man in Hong Kong over the murder of a pregnant waitress in Belfast eight years ago.

They used an extradition warrant to detain Wong Si Ching, 41, as part of their probe into the death of 29-year-old Ho Mi Yi.

Ms Yi’s body was found at a house in Isoline Street, east Belfast, in June 1998. She had been strangled.

Officers from the Crime Operations Department who travelled to the Far East also carried out searches of a premises with Hong Kong police.

A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman confirmed Ching will be brought before a court for an extradition hearing within days.

In 2000, a 36-year-old man was acquitted of murdering Ms Yi, who worked at a Chinese restaurant in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim.

At the time it was alleged a hired killer may have been brought from Kong Kong.