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| Nones appeared in Eastern magistracy, but her case is expected to be moved to a higher court |
A Filipina domestic helper charged with
stealing at least $1 million worth of jewelry from her employer in Deepwater
Bay, will appear in court again on May 19 after the case against her was
adjourned anew for legal advice.
Carmelita Nones, 45, appeared in Eastern Court
on Mar 31, for the continuation of the hearing of the biggest theft case ever
filed against a foreign domestic helper in Hong Kong.
Prosecutors had earlier said they would
finalize the case against the defendant during the hearing so it could be
transferred to a higher court.
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However, they again asked for an adjournment,
saying they needed more time to get legal advice.
Defense counsel Mohammed Shah did not oppose
the application, but asked the prosecution to make sure there would be no
further postponement.
“I thought this would be the last adjournment,”
Shah said, as he reminded the court that at the previous hearing on Jan 24, the
prosecution had also asked for further time to finalize its case.
“This should be the last adjournment for final
legal advice so we can go to trial,” he said.
Magistrate Stephanie Tsui granted the
adjournment and ordered Nones remanded in custody.
The Filipina faces five counts of theft, all
involving various jewelry items worth more than $1million which she alleged
stole from his employers, business executive David Liang and his wife.
She was arrested on Sept 4 in the Liangs’
luxury flat at 70 Deepwater Bay Road in Hong Kong Island South, and was
initially charged with stealing two gold Piaget watches worth a total of
$200,000.
On Nov. 29, she pleaded guilty to the stealing the watches,
but a private lawyer for the Liangs asked the court to defer sentencing as more
pawnshop receipts were reportedly found among Nones’ belongings and more charges
could be filed.
The court was told investigators found five
more stolen jewelry pieces in the pawnshop where Nones had allegedly hocked
the watches. Four other stolen jewelry items were also reportedly found in her
handbag.
Her guilty plea was not accepted while the case
was deferred for further inquiries.
Nones has been held without bail since her
arrest.
