Pinay arrested for selling peanuts in Admiralty

Eastern Magistrates' Courts in Sai Wan Ho

A judge in Sai Wan Ho this morning ordered a Filipino domestic worker to pay a fine after she was caught selling peanuts and soft drinks in Admiralty on Sunday.

Eastern Magistrates’ Courts Principal Magistrate Peter Law initially ordered the Filipino woman to pay to pay a fine of $1,000 after she pleaded guilty to illegal hawking.

However, the judge lowered the amount to $200 after she told him that she would need a month to raise the money.

“The defendant is a foreign domestic worker caught selling peanuts and soft drinks on her day off to augment her income,” Law said.

Under Hong Kong immigration rules, foreign domestic helper (FDH) are not allowed to take up any other employment, including part-time domestic duties.

The prosecutor said the Filipina was arrested on April 1 after she was seen selling peanuts and soft drinks to other Filipino domestic workers on a footbridge near the Central Government office in Admiralty.

The defendant said she sold peanuts and soft drinks because her mother back in the Philippines was sick and she needed money for her medicines.

Judge Law initially ordered the Filipina to pay $500 foe each of the two counts of illegal hawking she pleaded guilty to but the defendant said she needed about a month to pay the money.

The magistrate inquired about her salary and the Filipina said she earned $4,310 a month from her work as an FDH.

“I’ll consider this. I set aside the penalty I imposed on you. And taking it into account, I reduce the amount of the fine. So, I set aside my previous order,” Judge Law said.

“The new fine is $100 for charge one and $100 for charge two, or a total of $200. I’ll give you one month to pay,” he added.

The Filipina thanked Judge Law for his leniency.