Jessebel Questo, who is also known as Jessebel Questo Clarke,
pleaded guilty to both charges last Monday (July 7), but Acting Principal
Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong adjourned the case to Aug. 4 for sentencing. s
Questo, a 47-year-old Hong Kong resident who works as a
cleaner, is currently serving a 10-month jail term for money laundering after admitting
her role in dealing with $1.2 million proceeds of crime.
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| PAANO SUMALI? BASAHIN DITO |
In the first conspiracy to defraud case, Questo is accused
in a police complaint of signing an employment contract with Maria Chona Cagol,
with the help of agent Homer Herrera between 2021 and May 28, 2022, “dishonestly
and falsely representing” that Cagol will work for her.
Such lies induced “the Immigration Director and his officers
to act contrary to their public duty” and thus granted Cagol “permission to
remain in Hong Kong, in circumstances which they would not otherwise have
granted."
In the second charge, Questo is accused of conspiring with Shafqat
Zaman and her agent Herrera by contracting a fake marriage with Zaman by “dishonestly
and falsely representing to the Director and his officers that the entries and
remaining of Zaman, Shafat in Hong Kong were for the purpose of visiting and reuniting
with you.”
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| Basahin ang detalye |
Both offenses are contrary to Common Law and punishable
under Section 159C(6) of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap.200), Jaws of Hong Kong.
Last April 2 at Eastern Court, Questo was jailed for dealing
with property known or believed to represent proceeds of indictable crime, in
violation of the Organized and Serious Crimes Ordinance.
She pleaded guilty to allowing the use of her Hang Seng Bank
account in money laundering, having received deposits of $1,200,321.71 from
Nov. 9 to Dec. 2, 2022.
Questo’s conviction also activated a one-month suspended
sentence that was meted to her in a 2022 case in the Kowloon City Court.
But Principal Magistrate Don So ordered that the old penalty
run at the same time as the new jail term.
