FDH accuses fellow Pinay of stealing $3,700

High Court Justice Jonathan Harris (center) leaves the Eastern magistracy this afternoon with his domestic worker, Rosiene (right).

A Filipino domestic worker testified in court today against her compatriot who was initially accused of stealing the wallet of their employer, a High Court justice, in his home at The Peak.

Rosiene C.C. testified at the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts in Sai Wan Ho and said that she also lost $3,700 of her personal money, which she had kept in a while envelope, to the defendant, 38-year-old Marites P.C.

Rosiene said she found the envelope, which had gone missing, under the defendant’s pillow after Marites was terminated on January 13.

“My female employer told me to take out the bed sheet (of Marites) to be washed and, when I took out the pillow case, a $2 coin came out and so I called my female employer,” Rosiene told the court

“I also saw a white paper and, when I pulled it out, it was the missing envelope that belonged to me,” she said.

“It still had my money but some where missing. It only had $3,107…At first, I did not suspect her but when Is aw the envelope, I suspected her. It was under her pillow,” she added.

Rosiene also said that their employer, Court of First Instance Justice Jonathan Harris, lost $700 and his wallet, which had two credit cards, while a fellow domestic worker, Indonesian Jemini, lost $500.

Rosiene said Marites told her she was planning to go back to her old employer in Taiwan. She said Marites had difficulties in communicating with Justice Harris and his wife. Rosiene is in her second contract with her employers while Marites arrived in December to replace Jemini.

Marites was earlier charged with stealing the wallet of Justice Harris between January 9 and 12 inside his home on Mount Kellet Road, on The Peak, but prosecutors dropped the charge in February.

However, they pursued the case against Marites for the alleged theft of Rosiene’s money.

Barrister Mohammed J. Shah, Marites’ lawyer, countered that Rosiene was framing up Marites so that Jemini, who had gone back to Indonesia, could return to work in the Harris household.

He added that Rosiene also got “jealous” after Marites told her about her farm and house in  in Cavite.

“I put it to you that you are not telling the truth. I put it to you that you are framing up the defendant. You never lost the envelope with the money,” said Mr. Shah, who had successfully defended other Filipino domestic workers in the past.

“You did this because you want the defendant to be terminated so that Jemini could return,” he added.

Rosiene denied the barrister’s allegation but Mr. Shah continued to cast doubts on her integrity.

The barrister noted that Rosiene claimed that she put all her cash savings of $3,700 in the envelope.

But under the barrister’s questioning, Rosiene admitted that she gave Marites a total of $2,200—$1,200 was remitted by Marites to Rosiene’s brother in the Philippines while Marites used the remaining $500 to buy a Google Play card.

Rosiene claimed that she got additional cash after her employer gave her salary in advance before they went on holiday in December.

Mr. Shah asked Magistrate Cheung Kit-yee to summon Justice Harris for questioning in he next hearing since Rosiene had told the court that it was her employer who prepared her statement to the police.

Justice Harris was at Eastern court the whole day today to accompany his wife, who was listed as the second prosecution witness in the case. Marites’ trial resumes on May 23.