Inquest into death of Chinese man in Dublin adjourned

The inquest into the death last month of a Chinese man has been adjourned at the Dublin Coroner's Court until after the trial has taken place of a man charged with his murder.

Zhi Song (23) was stabbed to death at his home in Rialto on June 29th during an apparent break-in.

Mr Zhi's body was released to his family last night, some three weeks after the murder, and Department of Justice officials are making arrangements for the body to be repatriated to China. This was expected to take place today or early tomorrow.

The dead man's parents, Chun Xiang Zhang and Ji Dong Song, who flew to Ireland after being informed of their son's death, will return to China with their son.

Both were present yesterday when Dublin City Coroner Dr Brian Farrell opened the inquest into their son's death.

It was adjourned almost immediately after an application by gardaí. Insp Philip King of Kevin Street Garda station said gardaí were seeking the adjournment until criminal proceedings already initiated had been concluded.

A 25-year-old Dublin man has been before the courts charged with the murder.

In her statement to gardaí, which was read into evidence at the Coroner's Court yesterday, the dead man's mother said he was her only child. He was born in March 1982 and was educated "to high school level" in China. He came to Dublin on June 20th, 2002, to work and study English.

On July 1st last, she said, she was notified by the Chinese authorities and the Garda that her son had been killed. She flew to Dublin with her husband on July 4th. The following day she formally identified her son's body to Garda Linda Williams.

Dr Farrell told her that the people of Ireland had been greatly "shocked and saddened" by the death of her son. He "hoped and prayed" his parents would find the strength to cope with their loss.

He registered the cause of death as "a stab wound to the chest", telling the family that this formality would allow for their son's body to be released to them.

Speaking through an interpreter she asked Dr Farrell to explain the exact nature of the injury. Dr Farrell said he did not have the autopsy details to hand but would ask the authorities to address her query at a later date.