The family members of the accused Hongkongers yesterday sought the details of the denial made by alleged mastermind in the Hong Kong millionaire Harry Lam Hon-lit murder case.

During the second-day trial, the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court questioned the 22-year-old murderer Zhang Zixin, and Ho Haw-foo and driver Tsui Ming-yeung, who gave the pictures of Lam to an agent contacting the two murderers and examined material evidence.

Zhang's wife, on conditions of anonymity, said after the trial that the fate of her husband would be decided after the last hearing today.

"It depends on Friday's trial," she said when asked whether she was optimistic about her husband.

Seven Hong Kong and mainland residents were charged with murder, while a mainlander Wu Weiwu had been charged with providing accommodation to criminals.

It had been alleged that a Hong Kong businessman Yeung Ka-on, who was once a TV actor , had hired Lau Yat-yin, 47, to kill Lam, who was the director of Hong Kong-based Digger Holdings and an investor in the Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen. Yeung had given Lau's picture of Lam through nephew Ho and driver Tsui.

Lau then spent HK$2 million to hire Tse Bing, 47, who then used HK$400,000 to hire Yang Wen, 27, and 22-year-old Zhang. Lam was gunned down by the hired killers in Luk Yu Tea House in Central on November 30, 2002.

However, according to Southern Metropolis News, Yeung denied the charges on the first day of trial on Wednesday.

Yeung said he was introduced to Hunanese gangster leader Lau about six years ago by a Taiwan triad group member which he called "Brother Bao", the report said.

Yeung said he was asked to give an envelope to Lau by a brother of "Brother Bao", and he did that through Ho and Tsui. But he did not know about the contents in the envelope.

Yeung, however, did not deny that he had asked Ho to give Lau's family HK$20,000 each month after his arrest in November 2003, but denied that this was the profit gained from business in Casino Lisboa and had nothing to do with the murder.

Yeung's testimony rebutted

But Yeung's testimony was immediately rebutted by Lau, who said he was appointed by Yeung to "fix" Lam.

Lau, pleading guilty, said Yeung had given him Lau's picture and asked him to hire someone else to finish the job.

When Lau had asked Yeung why should Lam be "fixed", and Yeung replied: "This is friend's dispute."

Tse, who worked in Casino Lisboa, also pleaded guilty, but told the court that she did not ask to kill Lam. She said by the word "fix", she actually meant "teaching him a lesson". She, however, gave no answer when asked what kind of lesson was worth HK$2 million.

Tse, who was also closely linked to Hunanese gangster, had received HK$1.1 million from Lau, but she said this was loan from Lau and was not the fees for the contract killing.

But assassinator Yang dismissed Tse's claim, saying Tse had asked him to kill Lam.

Yang said they had even discussed that Lam should be stabbed on the chest if they use knife, and kill Lam with single bullet if they use gun. He said it was also agreed that he would be the assassin, and Zhang would assist.

There was strict security at the court yesterday, and the media was still not allowed. Hong Kong policemen were seen taking material evidence in and out of the court.

A relative of a Hong Kong resident, who also refused to reveal her identity, said it would have been better if the case was handled in the SAR.

The trial is expected to be finished today, but the verdict will not be ready yet.