A retired Hongkonger has pleaded guilty to making a false bomb threat in order to stop his wife from leaving the country, Sing Tao Daily reports.
The 64-year-old defendant, surnamed Kikabhoy, reportedly called 999 from a telephone booth in Wan Chai on March 22nd to stop his wife from travelling to South Africa with her friends. Police later arrested him on the scene after tracing the call.
Sing Tao Daily reports that Kikabhoy’s attempt to thwart his wife’s flight was to no avail, as the aircraft was permitted to take off after police checked it.
Kikabhoy admitted to being under the influence of alcohol, but insisted that his wife did not want to make the trip to South Africa, the court heard. A letter was read in court on behalf of Kikabhoy’s wife (who seems to be a fount of endless patience), which asked the court for leniency in sentencing her husband, as he had expressed his remorse and had been a good father to their children.
The magistrate called the case “serious”, especially considering the general public’s heightened fear of terrorist attacks, and stressed that “all sentencing options are possible”, including imprisonment. Kikabhoy will return to court on Feb. 4 for his sentencing, during which he should probably be kept away from any fire alarms.
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