Man charged over spiritual healer's murder

A Brisbane financial adviser has been charged over the murder of a missing Gold Coast "spiritual counsellor".

Trung Ma, 34, was arrested yesterday afternoon and will face Brisbane Magistrates Court this morning over the death of 63-year-old Hugo Bonham, a self-described "divine transformational facilitator" and a wealthy gold trader.

Mr Bonham had not been seen since the night of February 2, when he visited his son at Southport.

He spoke by phone to a bank the following day as he went about buying a secluded retreat in the Gold Coast hinterland.

But Mr Bonham failed to turn up to an appointment with a real estate agent that day, which prompted them to contact his Gold Coast-based sister who then reported him missing on February 6.

Police then found blood splatters at Mr Bonham's rented residence and established a major crime scene, saying they held grave fears for his safety.

Vietnamese-born Ma, a principal at a financial services firm based at Indooroopilly, is believed to have had a business relationship with Mr Bonham, but police would not divulge a motive, the Courier-Mail reports.

Police reportedly said they were investigating "every facet" of Mr Bonham's life, including his human "transformation" business and his gold trading activities.

"He's involved in spiritual counselling, that sort of thing," regional crime co-ordinator Superintendent Dave Hutchinson said last week.

"He does have a website and he runs conferences and counselling services which are basically designed to transform people's lives ... into one of happiness."

Police are continuing investigations to locate Mr Bonham's remains, AAP reports.

Source: Courier Mail
Author: Erin Tennant with AAP. Approving editor: Matthew Henry.