Police may look into mental health of Hong Kong democracy activist Howard Lam after kidnap claim
Sources say police not ruling out possibility that Lam, who admitted to suffering from depression in 2014, had mental issues and the stapling was an act of self-harm
Police might look into Howard Lam Tsz-kin’s mental state and whether the staples on his legs were an act of self-harm by a man suffering from depression who attempted suicide in the past, the Post has learnt.
The revelation came after detectives found the crosses stapled onto the democracy activist’s thighs had been punched in so neatly, without any scratches or other bruises, that they doubted his claim that his abductors had held him down against his will to punish him for not loving his country and his Christian faith.
“Stapling into the flesh must cause pain and the victim should struggle in his natural reaction. It is almost impossible that the crosses were made so precisely and neatly without any scratches or other wounds,” one police source said.
No kidnap van – Hong Kong democracy activist took minibus from Mong Kok, police source says
“In logical thinking, the victim should be pinned face down on the floor and stapling should be [done on] his back to avoid any struggle.”
Another force insider said police did not rule out the possibility that Lam, who admitted to suffering from depression in 2014, had mental problems and the stapling was an act of self-harm.
“Records show he attempted suicide a couple of years ago. It means he had tendencies to harm himself,” the insider said. “We cannot rule out at this stage that he was mentally unstable.”
Stanley Ng Wing-fai, a close friend of Lam in the Democratic Party, said the activist had been on medication for some time, fighting against depression.