Hong Kong fortune-teller arrested over ritual sacrifice of rabbit, frogs and mice after Instagram posts prompt businessman to act
- One police source says 19-year-old suspect professed to have learned about rituals online
- His arrest came after a local businessman saw services advertised on Instagram and contacted police
Officers arrested the 19-year-old man in a sting operation at Tsuen Wan West MTR station on Wednesday afternoon as he was meeting a 47-year-old businessman, who had seen the ritual services online, posed as a client to set up the appointment, and called police.
At the time of his arrest, the suspect was allegedly carrying two plastic boxes holding a rabbit and five white mice. Police also confiscated a dagger, some amulets, four candles and two packs of joss sticks found in his backpack, along with separate bottles of rum, sesame oil and almond oil.
Wild boar bites Hong Kong hiker who stopped for photos of scenery
Force insiders said the rabbit and mice were to be used as sacrifices in the ritual.
No superficial injuries were found on the rabbit and mice, which were handed over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for further examination.
Inspector Chen Wenjing of the Sham Shui Po district crime squad said on Thursday that the rum, sesame oil and almond oil were poured on amulets during rituals.
Police arrested the man on suspicion of cruelty to an animal, an offence that carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail and a fine of up to HK$200,000.
Officers from the Sham Shui Po criminal investigation unit began looking into the case after receiving a report from the businessman on Wednesday morning.
The man had found the fortune-teller on Instagram, where he had advertised the rituals involving animal sacrifice alongside photos of a bloody dagger and what appeared to be the carcasses of a rabbit and a mouse, according to one police source.
Hong Kong police arrest 72-year-old woman over video of dog abuse
“He used WhatsApp to contact the account holder, who allegedly was going to charge him HK$20,000 for such a ritual ceremony. He then called police,” the source said.
Another source said the suspect professed to have learned about sacrificing animals on the internet last year.
“A preliminary investigation suggested he had recently performed two such rituals in which a rabbit, frogs and mice were killed,” the source said.
He said officers were still investigating whether the ceremonies were performed to help his clients get rid of bad luck or for atonement.
Chen said the suspect claimed he was a fortune-teller and the investigation suggested he offered such rituals to earn money.
“We believe the suspect offered the ritual service recently because his first post was placed online earlier this month,” she said.
She said the case might involve customers who offered a monetary reward to prompt the suspect to sacrifice animals in a rite. “So police are investigating if anyone incited [the suspect] to commit animal cruelty,” Chen said, adding that further arrests were possible.
As of Thursday afternoon, the man was still being held for questioning and had not been charged.
Detectives from the Sham Shui Po district crime squad are handling the case.
