Cancer survivor fined $1,200 for stealing shirts, sandals & wet wipes

By Vir B. Lumicao 

All 3 cases were heard at Eastern Court today

A 55-year-old Filipina domestic helper and cancer survivor who admitted stealing four white T-shirts, a pair of sandals and six packs of wet wipes from a fashion shop in Causeway Bay, was fined $1,200 today, Jun 8, for the offense.

V. Iniego, who said she has been working in Hong Kong for 34 years, was charged with theft after a security staff at H&M store at Hang Lung Centre on Paterson St caught her leaving without paying for the merchandise. The value of the goods wasn’t mentioned.

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The prosecution said the woman arrived at the store at 5:37pm on May 25, went around the shop, took the goods and placed them in her recyclable bag. When she left without paying at 6:15pm, the guard stopped her, inspected her bag and saw the unpaid items.

Police were called and the woman was arrested. During questioning, she admitted she stole the items out of greed.

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In mitigation, the defense lawyer said his client has been a helper in Hong Kong for 34 years and this was her first offense. He said she was a cancer survivor who was undergoing chemotherapy at Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital.

The lawyer begged for leniency, saying his client was afraid that if her employer found out about her case, she would fire her.

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Easter Magistrate Peter Law ordered the woman to pay a fine, partly to be taken from her $500 bail.  

Filipino stabbing case moved to DC

Also at Eastern Court, the magistrate ordered the transfer to District Court of the case of Mark Gregor Baldomaro, a domestic worker accused of stabbing two fellow Filipino drivers in Central early this year.

 

Before this, the prosecution amended the charge against  Baldomaro to “wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm” from simple wounding.

The defendant has been held without bail since the attacks on Tirso Fernandez Jr and Reginald M. Aguilar at around 6:30pm on Jan 30, near the toilet in Edinburgh Place.

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He will appear in District Court on Jun 29.

DNA result of aborted baby still pending

Police investigating a Filipina helper who allegedly took a pill to procure her own miscarriage in March are awaiting a DNA report on the dead baby, the Eastern Court was told today, Jun 8.

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Defendant B. Camarillo, 30, appeared calm as the prosecutor asked Magistrate Peter Law to adjourn the case until Aug 3. The prosecution said earlier the helper used poison (abortion pill) to abort the baby on Mar 13.

She was arrested and sent to hospital the next day after her employer called the police on seeing the mess in the bathroom of her flat in Harbour Heights, North Point.

The defendant has been held without bail since.

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CE Lam says gathering rules can't be relaxed because of variant cases

By Daisy CL Mandap 

CE Lam says it is not right to relax restrictions because of the 3 variant cases with unknown source 

Chief Executive Carrie Lam has dashed hopes that stringent gathering restrictions which are due to lapse on Thursday will be relaxed, citing the recent case of a mother and two of her daughters found to be carrying the more infectious coronavirus variant.

Speaking ahead of the Executive Council meeting earlier today, Jun 8, the CE said “it does not seem to be the appropriate time to relax the social distancing measures.”

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Lam added further details will be announced by the Secretary of Food and Health later.

She made the announcement a few hours before the Centre for Health Protection announced three new Covid-19 cases, all of them imported.

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Two are returning residents from Colombia and both tested positive for N501Y variant on arrival in Hong Kong on Jun 6 aboard flight KL 819. One is a 19-year-old male and the other is a 22-year-old female.

The third is a 42-year-old domestic helper from Indonesia who tested positive on her third-day sample while in hotel quarantine. She does not carry a variant.

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The Chief Executive said it was unfortunate that Hong Kong’s record of 30 days without a case with unknown source was broken when a 17-year-old girl who does not have a recent travel history was found to carry the N501Y variant last Friday.

On two successive days afterwards, her mother and older sister were also found infected with the so-called Alpha variant first found in the United Kingdom.

Until their infections were discovered, the UK variant was never seen in any local case.

Lam said that since Hong Kong has never been identified as the source of a variant, then the source of their infection must have been an imported case that was not detected on time.

The CE said 140 of the three patients’ close contacts have been moved to quarantine, while 850 of their fellow residents in a Tin Shui Wai Building were placed under a lockdown and tested.

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A total of 32 places they had visited have been put under compulsory testing notice.

The three patients have not been vaccinated so they exposed themselves and all the people around them to the risk of catching the highly infectious variant, said the CE, who then renewed an appeal for all residents to get the coronavirus vaccine.

The CE says the variant cases must have an imported source 

“What we have to do is to get vaccinated. Only when we have achieved herd immunity (can) we tackle these what may be inevitably missed imported cases,” Lam said.

She said the latest figures show that 1.55 million, or nearly 24% of all residents eligible to take the jab have taken their first dose.

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“The number is increasing, so this is good,” she said adding that she hopes that by the end of August (when the community vaccination centres are due to close), there would have been a “more desirable percentage” of people who have taken the jab.

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Police arrest employer of ‘abused’ Filipina DH

By Daisy C L Mandap  

The story behind the ugly marks on Eden's back needs to be told 

Hong Kong Police say they have arrested the 35-year-old female employer of a Filipina domestic helper who claimed to have been assaulted twice in May. 

 

A police spokesperson said the employer was detained on May 31 for “assault occasioning bodily harm” but was released on police bail. She is required to report back to police in late June. 

 

“Investigation by Regional Crime Unit of New Territories South is underway,” said a police statement sent on Monday, Jun 7. 

 

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The Filipina, Eden P., sought police help on May 30 after she fled her employer’s house in Serenade Cove on Castle Peak Road in Tsuen Wan, claiming to have been assaulted. She is due to report back to police later today to give more information, with help from a Filipino translator which the Consulate’s assistance to nationals section had requested. 

 

In her previous interview at the Shatin Police station, Eden, who is turning 37 on Jun 11, was assisted by an English interpreter. She also provided only two recent instances of abuse by her employer, which she said is a teacher. 

 

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But in a separate interview she gave on Sunday, Jun 6, with the Mission for Migrant Workers, Eden said she was assaulted repeatedly by Mak for a year, or two months after she started working for her in March 2020. She also claimed criminal intimidation, or threats to her life.

 

One particular incident she recalled happened between October and November last year, when Mak allegedly pulled her hair and banged her head against the wall after she failed to comply with an order.

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Then sometime in mid-February this year, after Mak saw that her 19-month-old son did not finish his congee, she allegedly put some dish detergent onto it, then forced Eden to eat it. The helper said: “I was so afraid of her (Mak) that I was forced to eat the congee with detergent.”

 

From then on, every time Mak would hear her baby cry, she would allegedly scold and scream at Eden, then pull her hair, slap, kick or hit her legs and thigh, pinch her and scratch her face, back and chest.

 

In late February this year, Mak reportedly got upset when Eden failed to finish a chore she was told to do because she was made to other things at the same time. In her anger, Mak allegedly inserted her hand inside the helper’s shirt from the back, then scratched her deeply from the nape down.

The last two incidents which she reported to police happened on May 25 and 29, when Mak allegedly assaulted her repeatedly because she failed to do her bidding concerning the baby.

The bruises on her thighs were caused by a metal food-turner, Eden claims

On May 25, Mak allegedly emptied a bag full of toy blocks onto the helper’s head, then after two hours, flared up again when the baby started crying. When she saw that the boy did not finish his congee, Mak reportedly slapped the maid 15 times on both sides of her face, using both hands.

Not content with this, Mak took a metal food turner hanging on a wall and hit Eden five times, on both her thighs and her belly, leaving ugly marks. She also kicked the helper on the legs, shouting “I will kill you, put you in hell.” Mak then took the helper’s cell phone and kept it.

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The next major incident happened on May 29, when the employer again got mad because her baby was crying. When she saw that the baby did not eat his pasta, she reportedly slapped Eden on both sides of her face about 10 times, using both hands.

She then allegedly punched Eden hard on her chest and back, then scratched her on the face and back. The attack caused her face to bleed and her chest and back to hurt.

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The next day, after Mak, her husband and two young sons left the house, Eden seized the chance to flee and seek help from her employment agency, Get Maid. Another Filipina staying at the agency’s boarding house accompanied her to the Shatin Police station to file a complaint.

During her 14-month employment, Eden said she was not allowed to take a day-off, with Mak saying she should stay in the flat because of Covid-19. On her supposed rest days, she was allowed only two hours of rest inside the employer’s study room where she also slept at night

 

Her employer’s husband, a physiotherapist, reportedly told Eden his wife was suffering from post-partum depression. 

The Consulate is providing shelter and legal assistance to Eden.

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Filipina overstayer gets 6 months for money laundering

By Vir B. Lumicao 

Vargas's friends say she claimed on Facebook to having made money from the illicit deal

A Filipina former domestic helper was sentenced today, Jun 7, to six months in jail after admitting a charge of laundering nearly $700,000 through her bank account over a 16-month period until August last year.

Kris Hope Vargas, who has been detained a month longer than her sentence, was kept in custody as she still faces another charge for overstaying her visa.

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She had earlier denied the charge of “dealing with property known or believed to represent proceeds of an indictable offence”, saying she lost her ATM card before the illegal transactions were made.

But she decided to admit the offense shortly before she was to go on trial before Magistrate Edward Wong.

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After sentencing, Vargas was told she will have to return to Eastern Court on Jul 9 for the hearing of her overstaying case.  According to Immigration, she stayed illegally in Hong Kong after she was prematurely dismissed by her employer in late February last year.

Her lawyer went back to court with her after sentencing to apply for bail, but the magistrate rebuked him, saying he should have made the application before the hearing ended.

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According to the charge that Vargas admitted, she used her Hang Seng bank account for multiple deposits and withdrawals totaling $694,056 between Apr 15, 2019 and August 2020.

Police investigating cases of “romance scams” pulled by unknown conmen on local women received a complaint on Feb 29, 2020 by a local man who said he was conned by a soldier in Afghanistan who became his cyber friend. The victim, Lyu Wenbo, 55, said he was asked to pay $26,559 for customs duty and delivery fee of a parcel the soldier sent to him.

The victim paid the fees asked by depositing them in Hang Seng bank account given by the culprit. But the parcel was not delivered. He complained to police and the account was traced to Vargas.

Vargas was arrested on Nov 29 last year outside Chungking Mansion in Tsim Sha Tsui. Police were alerted when the bank noticed the suspicious transactions. The illicit transactions continued even after she had gone underground after her visa lapsed on Mar 10 last year.

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In her previous court appearance, Vargas’ lawyer told Magistrate Law that his client was not aware her ATM card was being used to move illegally acquired money. He said his client had lost the card before those transactions were made.

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However, some of her friends have passed on photos that Vargas had posted on Facebook, ostensibly showing her withdrawing cash that was transferred to her Hang Seng account by the unknown money launderers.

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Filipina DH pleads guilty to stealing employer's jewelry worth $14.6 million

By Vir B. Lumicao 

Nones celebrating a  happy occasion before her arrest

A Filipina domestic helper has admitted stealing $14.6 million worth of jewelry, gold bars and other valuables from her wealthy employers in Deepwater Bay over a period of 14 months, from June 2018 to August 2019.

Carmelita G. Nones, who is married and hails from La Union, admitted all six theft charges filed against her when she appeared in Eastern Court today, Jun 7.

Her niece, Maricris G. Nones and her cousin, Cristina N. Alagna, also pleaded guilty to acting as Nones’ accomplices by handling the goods she stole. Maricris admitted four counts of handling stolen goods, and Alagna, six.

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All three were returned to custody until their sentencing at the Court of First Instance. Magistrate Daniel Tang set a transfer hearing of the case in Eastern Court on Jun 9. 

Under Hong Kong laws, the maximum sentence for theft is ten years in jail.

A fourth accused, Carmelita’s sister, Marina G. Biala, pleaded not guilty to a charge of handling stolen goods, so her case will be sent to the District Court for trial.

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Police said they found a bag containing part of the loot in Nones' bedroom in her employer’s house. The bag a watch, two bangles and necklace all worth $6,800.

Right after the four defendants were called out to the courtroom today, their lawyers led by barrister Oliver Davies said defendants Nones, M. Nones and Alagna would plead guilty to the charges and Biala would not plead guilty.

Carmelita Nones admitted to stealing about 200 jewelry pieces, gold bars and some cash from her employers, New World Development executive director David Liang and his wife Helen Frances during six different periods.

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Between June 17 and July 27, 2018, she stole an assortment of jewelry including eight necklaces, seven bangles, 11 pairs of earrings, a single earring, 2 bracelets, a 50-gram gold bar and a 187-gram gold bar, 10 rings and 31 gold coins owned by Mrs Liang. The total value of the stolen goods was $6,028,000.

Some of the gold coins and gold bar recovered from a pawnshop

Between Jun 27 and Aug 11, 2019, she took two Piaget luxury watches valued at $100,000 each belonging to the Liang couple.

In the third charge which covers a period between June and December 2018, Nones stole a watch, a necklace, 2 bangles, 7 pairs of earrings, all valued at $6,800, belonging to Mrs Liang. They were recovered in a bag in Nones' room.

On Sept 5, 2019, Marina Galay Biala returned to Mrs Liang a bag that Nones had asked her to keep which contained 23 necklaces, 3 bracelets, 2 bangles, 11 pairs of earrings, 1 piece of earring, 11 pendants, 5 rings, 1 brooch, 3 watches, Chanel jewelry pieces valued at $120,000, various jewelry pieces valued at $3,000, and cash worth $4,000. The total value of the goods was $4,814,400.

Between Jun 3, 2018 and Feb 18, 2019, Nones took 6 necklaces, 9 bangles, 6 rings and 4 pairs of earrings, 2 bracelets and a pendant with a total value of $2,235,000. Between May 13 and Jun 2, 2018, she stole 3 bangles, 7 bracelets, 2 pairs of earrings, 3 single earrings, 1 pendant, 2 necklaces and 4 rings with a total value of $1,265,000 all belonging to Mrs Liang.

In all, the value of jewelry, gold bars and other ornaments that she stole was listed as  $14.6 million.

3 bangles, one diamond-studded, made up one batch

The jewelry, cash, gold bars and coins were stolen by Nones in six batches and disposed of mostly by her and with the help of Maricris and Alagna.

The evidence presented in court included 25 pawnshop receipts totaling $688,850 for the first batch of stolen items. The jewelry pieces were pawned by Nones herself.

The court was told Mrs Liang spent $891,160 to get back some of her jewelry, but not all were recovered.

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The second batch comprised the couple’s matching Piaget watches worth $200,000. The discovery that they were missing in September 2019 was what sparked the arrest and subsequent investigation into Nones’ thefts.

One diamond necklace valued at $750,000 that was discovered missing early in the investigation wasn’t recovered from pawnshops. And so were 9 earrings, a karat gold ring with diamond, 2 bangles, 5 rings and 1 bracelet. 

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On Jun 19, 2019, a total of $2,235,500 worth of assorted jewelry were hocked at various pawnshops. Mrs Liang paid $342,124 to the pawnshops to recover her jewelry but some were not recovered.

Diamond-studded necklace redeemed by Liang for over $50k

The last batch taken by Nones was assorted jewelry worth $1,265,000 for which Mrs Liang paid the pawnshops $217,730 to recover.

M. Nones was responsible for pawning between Jun 3 and Nov 25, 2018 assorted stolen jewelry worth $2,110,000 owned by Mrs Liang for which the pawnshops paid her $222,250. Mrs Liang paid the pawnshops $316,514 for their recovery.

For her part, Alagna helped pawn $1,145,000 worth of the loot on five various occasions between May 13, 2018 and June 2, 2019. Mrs Liang spent $204,960 to recover them. 

According to a source close to Mrs Liang, the employer had kept most of the jewelry in a safe inside her bedroom, and was clueless as to how Carmelita managed to learn the combination to open the safe and steal the items.

The source also said the employer had asked investigators in the Philippines to check on Nones’ lifestyle, and received photos showing the helper had built two lavish houses in her hometown, and owned a number of vehicles.

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