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| The case is set to go to trial at Eastern Magistrates' Court |
A Filipina domestic helper is set to stand trial in May after denying a charge of laundering HK$1.08 million in her bank account.
But a formal plea by Ronnalyn B. Manalo, 33 years
old, to one count of money laundering is due to take place on April 29 at
Eastern Magistrates court.
Principal Magistrate David Cheung also reserved May
27 for the expected day-long trial after the plea-taking.
Manalo is charged that between April 10 and 22, 2024
she knowingly, or “had reason to believe” that the total sum of $1,086,434 in
her Hang Seng bank account “in whole or in part directly or indirectly represented
any person’s proceeds of an indictable offence, dealt with the said property.”
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Put simply, it means that she is accused of having
dealt with the money found in her account despite knowing it came from a
criminal offence.
Manalo told the court through her lawyer that while
she did open the account herself, she was unaware that it was used to launder tainted
money as all the correspondence from the bank was sent to an address belonging
to someone she didn’t know.
The prosecutor asked for the plea-taking to be
adjourned as the transcript of the video-recorded interview by the police with
Manalo was yet to be transcribed.
Magistrate Cheung agreed, and extended Manalo’s
$5,000 bail until the next hearing.
