Advertisement
Advertisement
Hong Kong courts
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
Design student Tong Cheuk-him is escorted to West Kowloon Court on Friday on charges of animal cruelty. Photo: Felix Wong

Hong Kong student who ‘posed as fortune-teller’ and used witchcraft to hurt rabbits, mice charged with animal cruelty

  • Tong Cheuk-him from Hong Kong Design Institute was arrested in sting operation two days ago, faces up to three years in prison if convicted
  • Police will examine 19-year-old’s mobile phone and bank transactions, and make inquiries into his clients and where he got the animals
Brian Wong

A design school student who called himself a fortune-teller specialising in performing witchcraft with animal sacrifices has been remanded in custody after he was allegedly found to have caused suffering to rabbits and white mice.

Tong Cheuk-him was escorted to West Kowloon Court on Friday, two days after his arrest in a sting police operation at Tsuen Wan West MTR station.

The 19-year-old Hong Kong Design Institute student has been charged with animal cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance. He faces up to three years in prison if convicted.

A senior police officer of the Sham Shui Po district with the case exhibits. Photo: Dickson Lee

A charge sheet available for inspection by the press said Tong had “cruelly ill-treated; or by wantonly or unreasonably doing an act, caused unnecessary suffering to some animals, namely rabbits and white mice”. No details were provided.

The prosecution asked for a two-month adjournment to allow time for police investigation. Officers would examine the defendant’s mobile phone and bank transaction records, and make inquiries into where the animals came from and the defendant’s clients, the court heard.

Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui Yee-mei snubbed Tong’s bail application after the prosecution objected to his release. Tong will return to court on October 8.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: ‘Fortune-teller’ student charged with animal cruelty
Post