Shenzhen monk remanded over Tsuen Wan statue theft charge
SCMP · 4 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
A 57-year-old Shenzhen monk, Zha Jianxin, was brought before West Kowloon Court on Wednesday on a theft charge over an alleged theft at Tsuen Wan Lung Mo Temple. The charge alleges he stole a bronze Sun Wukong, or Monkey King, statue worth HK$2,000 from near the entrance of the temple on August 24. He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody, with the case adjourned to September 23 so the prosecution can obtain his immigration entry and exit records. Defence counsel also asked that he be allowed to make a local phone call because, as a monk, he had been due to chant sutras for a friend but could no longer do so.
Key Points
- Zha Jianxin, 57, was charged with one count of theft and made his first court appearance at West Kowloon Court on August 26.
- Court papers said he holds a two-way permit, lives in Shenzhen, and required Mandarin interpretation during the hearing.
- Prosecutors alleged he stole a bronze Monkey King statue worth HK$2,000 near the roadside entrance of Lung Mo Temple, Tsuen Wan, on August 24.
- The magistrate adjourned the case to September 23 to allow the prosecution to obtain the defendant's immigration movement records.
- The defence made no bail application, but successfully sought permission for Zha to place a local call to a friend about planned sutra chanting.
Why It Matters
The case concerns an alleged theft from a place of worship in Hong Kong, where even modestly valued religious objects can carry cultural and devotional importance. For local temples and worshippers, it underlines the practical need to safeguard items placed at entrances and other publicly accessible areas.