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| Building in which theft took place (Google Maps photo) |
A Filipina was sentenced today at District Court to 19 months in jail for stealing more than $1 million from a financing company in Central where she worked as a cashier.
Deputy District Judge May Chung handed down the sentence to Mary
Ann Destajo, 37 years old, who earlier pleaded guilty to stealing $1,072,109 from
her former employer, Pacific Ace Financing Ltd., between Dec. 20, 2020 and Aug.
26, 2023.
Destajo had been in detention for almost 13 months, so she needs to only stay in jail until December or earlier on good behavior, to complete her sentence.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
At the Eastern Magistrates’
Court, where the case waas originally filed, her lawyer tried to get her out of
detention during a hearing on May 23 last year, by offering a cash bail of
$10,000, along with the promise to report to the Police regularly and not leave
Hong Kong while the case was pending.
But Magistrate Minnie Wat rejected the offer, citing the
seriousness of the offense, the breach of trust and the strength of evidence
against the defendant.
The case underwent
changes while at Eastern Court, before it was elevated to the District Court.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
The prosecution filed an amended complaint that increased
the amount she is acused of stealing from Pacific Ace Financing Ltd., from the
previous $1,068,848 to $1,072,109.
Destajo was originally listed as receptionist. In later hearings, she was identified as a cashier during the three years that she was alleged to have stolen the cash.
The period she was accused of stealing the amount at her
employer’s office in Wing On House in Central, was also amended: from Dec. 2,
2020 to Aug. 26, 2023. This period is four months shorter than that covered by
the original charge, from August 2020 to July 2023.
