Helper acquitted of $500-theft case

Kowloon City Courts

ANALIZA E.E., a Filipino domestic helper accused of stealing $500 from her employer, cried in court and hugged her cousin when she was acquitted by a Kowloon Courts judge.

Deputy Magistrate Vennie Chiu Wai-yeeon July 18 ruled that the prosecution failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant stole the money from her employer.

The judge noted that despite the employer’s statement that the domestic worker took the $500 in September 2016, she continued to employ her and only terminated the contract two months after.

Judge Chiu added that by the time the employer terminated the contract, the relationship between the latter and the domestic helper had turned sour owing to several disagreements.

“I approach her (employer’s) evidence with great caution…I did not find her a credible witness and she was evasive under cross-examination,” Judge Chiu said.

Moreover, the magistrate also said there was no reason to believe the employer’s statement that she had to wait for Analiza’s replacement before firing the defendant.

The magistrate ruled the employer was not a “reliable witness”.

Analiza had maintained the $500 came from her cousin and not from the employer.