Lawyers for a 92-year-old plastic surgeon have asked a Hong Kong court to exempt him from entering a plea in a manslaughter case arising from a botched botox injection in 2018, saying he is no longer fit to stand trial because of his worsening dementia.

Dr Franklin Li Wang-pong’s trial started at the High Court on Thursday with a seven-member jury asked to decide whether the defendant was capable of defending himself during the proceedings.

Prosecutors have charged Li with gross negligence during the medical procedure at his clinic, located at Grand Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, on November 11, 2018.

The indictment said Li failed to take reasonable care of his patient, Zoe Cheung Shuk-ling, 52, by failing to properly assess the risk of injecting her with a sedative on that day.

The doctor also allegedly failed to monitor Cheung’s oxygen level, and to administer oxygen and medications against sedative agents when she experienced breathing difficulties.

On top of that, he allegedly concealed information about his medical treatment and prescriptions when asked by other medical professionals.