Hong Kong court grants bail to man accused of slapping 13-year-old boy at religious education centre
Hong Kong Free Press
A 35-year-old man has been released on bail after allegedly slapping a 13-year-old boy at an education centre for not able to memorise the Quran, local media have reported. The boy required six-hour surgery for retinal detachment.
According to local media reports, Shahzad Khan was arrested by the police last Friday and charged with “unlawfully and maliciously” wounding “Boy X” at Madrassa Taleemul Furqan Islamic Union in Quarry Bay. His case was handled at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts on Monday.
Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui asked why the defendant had been at the centre and what role he held there. The prosecutor said he was a volunteer, not a teacher, at the religious centre.
The defendant was unemployed and was applying for non-refoulement protection.
Adjournment
The prosecutor applied for the case to be adjourned for six weeks to allow more time for police investigation and to obtain the victim’s medical reports. The case was adjourned to September 25.
Khan was granted HK$50,000 bail with conditions including having to surrender his travel documents, to reside at the reported address, to report to the police station three times a week. He was also instructed not to go to the religious centre or contact the prosecution witnesses, including the boy and the boy’s sister.
Last Wednesday, the Muslim Council of Hong Kong said in a Facebook post that it had received complaints claiming that a boy had been slapped a number of times by a teacher at an Muslim education centre.
The boy underwent a six-hour operation for a detached retina.
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