Jason Poon sentenced to 21 days in prison for contempt of court

Jason Poon Chuk-Hung, the chairman of construction concern group Chinat Monitor, was sentenced to 21 days in prison for contempt of court by the High Court on Monday.

Poon had published a Facebook post and a YouTube clip in March alleging that a former assistant had stolen a white marble Buddha from Li Ka-shing's Tsz Shan Monastery, along with masks and other items.

The former assistant subsequently sued Poon for defamation. The High Court responded by issuing an order that prohibited Poon from making further defamatory remarks and required the removal of the posts and videos.

Poon, however, violated the injunction. After previously admitting to civil contempt of court, he was absent from last month's hearing.

Deputy High Court Judge Kent Yee Kai-siu handed down the 21-day prison sentence this afternoon. Following the sentencing, Poon appealed and was granted a suspension of the execution of the prison sentence. However, he is still required to pay legal fees amounting to HK$400,000.