Court OKs bail for Filipina helper

Kwun Tong Law Courts Building

A domestic helper who was charged with theft has provided  to the court the address where she could stay,  one of the conditions for allowing her to post bail.

However, it was not clear if Helen L. M. could be released on bail as the original condition of $2,000 as bail money remains. She was previously granted bail by Principal Magistrate Ernest Lin of the Kwun Tong Magistrates’ Courts, but she did not have enough money for  bail.

On Apr. 26,  Helen appeared before Judge Lin again and, through her duty lawyer, informed the court the Philippine Consulate General provided a shelter for her to stay while the case is pending.

Helen  had sought an appeal before the High Court so she could be granted bail, but she could not say where she would be staying if she were released.

On Apr. 21, Judge Anthea Pang asked the prosecutor why Helen was in jail custody when the defendant was only charged with a simple case of shop theft.

Helen was arrested on Apr. 3 after she was found to have taken food items worth less than $200 from a supermarket store in Tseung Kwan O.

The prosecutor said Helen was granted bail but was unable to put up the bail money.

Judge Pang then asked Helen what happened, and the Filipino replied she did not have the $2,000 required for her bail money.

Helen said she could only give $500 as bail money, but when asked by Judge Pang, how much money she had with her, the defendant she only had $300.

However, when asked to give the address where she would be staying, Helen gave the address of her emoployer. The prosecutor, however, told the court that upon learning of Helen’s case, the latter’s employer terminated the employment contract, which should have ended in October 2018.

Judge Pang then asked the defendant if she had any other place to stay, but the latter said the address of her friend was in he envelope which she did not have at the time.

Judge Pang then adjourned the case to Apr. 24 to give Helen more time to provide to the court an address. The judge also told Helen to ask the friend or a church representative to appear in court.

On Apr. 24, Helen informed the court she had tried to get in touch with an NGO, and a friend, but they were not in court.

Owing to this, Judge Pang refused Helen’s bail application, but asked the prosecution to try to bring forward the defendant’s case before the Magistrates’ Courts at an earlier date instead of May 4.