HONG KONG — A British businessman has been ordered to remain in custody following a murder charge in Hong Kong related to the death of an Indonesian woman found at a park waterfall.


Jamie Tzewee Chapman, aged 34, did not make a plea during his court appearance, and his attorney did not seek bail. The judge decided to postpone the case until January to allow for further investigative work.


Chapman and his wife, a native of Hong Kong, were apprehended Tuesday upon their return to the city from mainland China. Initially, his wife was detained on suspicion of aiding an offender, but she was subsequently released on bail while investigations continue, as clarified by police on Thursday.


According to the police, Chapman and the Indonesian woman visited a waterfall in a park on Hong Kong Island on Sunday evening. Chapman departed roughly thirty minutes later, and the woman’s body was discovered in the pond below the waterfall by local residents the following Monday morning. Reports indicate she had sustained a head injury and drowned.


Mevi Novitasari, about 25 years old, worked as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, although authorities have confirmed she was not employed by the suspect directly.


Hailing from Cilacap in Central Java, Indonesia, Novitasari’s case has drawn attention, with Judha Nugraha, the director of protection for Indonesian citizens and legal entities, providing updates from Indonesia. He also mentioned that her employment agency, along with the Indonesian consulate, will assist in the process of repatriating her remains. The consulate general intends to keep monitoring the investigation closely.