British trader Rurik Jutting, 29, was snapped smiling and laughing as he left court this morning, where he is on trial for the brutal murder of two sex workers at his luxury flat in global financial city Hong Kong last month.
Jutting was present for a procedural hearing in front of magistrate Bina Chainrai, where the case was adjourned for two weeks so the accused could be submitted to psychiatric examination to assess his sanity and fitness to enter a plea. He stands accused of double murder, but only spoke to confirm he understood the procedures being put in place for the case.
As he left court he was photographed smiling and laughing while surrounded by police officers. Regardless of the outcome of the investigations into his mental health, it is clear he considered himself to be of unsound mind, or at least under the control of other forces.
After he left his former employment at Merrill Lynch shortly before the murders he called the police to report, he updated his ‘out of office’ reply on his company email to read: “I am out of the office. Indefinitely. For urgent enquiries, or indeed any enquiries, please contact someone who is not an insane psychopath. For escalation please contact God, though suspect the devil will have custody (Last line only really worked if I had followed through).”
Two weeks ago, having quit his job at the Bank of America Jutting lost his licences to trade in Hong Kong, and this is when the killings are believed to have began, although it is presently unknown if the two events are directly linked. On the 27th of October, his Hong Kong Monetary Authority securities advisory licence expired and he, it is alleged, murdered Sumarti Ningsih, 25.
The same day he updated his Facebook status to say: “Stepping down from the ledge. Burden lifted; new journey begins. Scared and anxious but also excited. The first step is always the hardest”, reports The Guardian.
He continued to appear superficially happy to the outside world in the remainder of the week, again updating his Facebook at the time of the second murder to say “Money DOES buy happiness”, and “Is 29 the perfect age? I feel more secure, I’m a better friend and I know my limitations. No wonder 29-year-olds are the most popular age group”. Jutting and his victim that day were both 29 years old.
Police discovered 29 year-old Seneng Mujiasih in Jutting’s apartment after he called the emergency services to his own home. They discovered her naked with knife wounds to her neck and back, and although still alive died shortly afterwards. The body of Ningsih was discovered hours later in a suitcase. Both women are reported to be Philippine sex workers but this has yet to be officially confirmed.
Jutting will next appear in court on November 24th.
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