Hong Kong students accused of carrying offensive weapons – including catapult and iron shots – near coronavirus screening site held in custody
- West Kowloon Court hears suspects had another 12 items including coffee filters, nail polish remover, lighters, hexagon keys, respirators, a can of glue and pair of scissors
- Ngai Tin-lok and Leung Ho-yin jointly charged with one count of possession of an offensive weapon in public place
Two Hong Kong students accused of carrying offensive weapons and tools fit for unlawful use near a proposed site for screening the deadly coronavirus were remanded by a court on Wednesday.
West Kowloon Court heard the list of 14 items found outside a subway on Tin Yip Road in Tin Shui Wai on Monday included a rubber-band catapult with 89 iron shots, a bag of coffee filters and a bottle of nail polish remover.
Defendants Ngai Tin-lok, 19, and Leung Ho-yin, 18, were jointly charged with one count of possession of an offensive weapon in a public place, and another count of possession of an instrument fit for unlawful purpose and with intent to use for an unlawful purpose.
These charges carry a maximum sentence of three years for those aged 17 or above, but under 25.
Prosecutors said the two men had no lawful authority or reasonable excuse to carry the catapult or iron shots, and further accused them of intending to use the 12 other items found in their possession for unlawful purposes.
These included the coffee filters and nail polish remover, along with three lighters, three hexagon keys, two respirators, a can of glue and a pair of scissors.
Neither defendant was required to enter a plea on their first appearance before Principal Magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen, after prosecutors asked for more time to investigate the case and examine the items seized.
Both men applied for bail but faced objections from the prosecution.
Law rejected both applications and remanded them in custody.
The case will move to Tuen Mun Court on April 29.
The Hospital Authority earlier announced plans to designate 18 government clinics for treating suspected coronavirus patients with mild symptoms, but faced fierce resistance across districts.
One of the proposed clinics was Tin Shui Wai (Tin Yip Road) Community Health Centre.
