A Filipino domestic worker found guilty of one count of theft was fined HK$2,000 (about US$250), which was 10 times the value of the items she stole from a Wellcome supermarket in Yiu Po Mansion in Tai Wai in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
Leah Merogenia, a single mother in her 30s and sole breadwinner of the family, was arrested on July 19 for stealing one packet each of oatmeal, blueberries, candy dates and cashews, two packs of dumplings, two packs of pork and a pack of chicken fillet, worth a total of HK$199.30, sunwebhk.com reported.
On November 1, Merogenia pleaded not guilty when the case came up at a Shatin court. She said she had simply forgotten to pay for the items because she was concerned about her sick son.
However, a supermarket staffer said he saw her put the items in her bag. He said she did pay for two packets of fishballs, but not for the items in her bag.
After she left, the staffer stopped her and inspected her bag, where he found the unpaid-for items. He called the police and Merogenia was arrested.
On November 3, the prosecutor said he doubted that Merogenia forgot to pay for the items and he accepted the staffer’s testimony. The woman was found guilty and fined HK$2,000 instead of imprisonment, because of her clear record.
Her male employer, who was at the hearing, reportedly took her back home.
According to Hong Kong’s Theft Ordinance, the maximum sentence for theft is 10 years’ imprisonment, but a jail sentence is not mandatory.
Ano pinaglalaban mo teh!????????????????? hahahah mukhang perfect ka nga mag english kv tagalog mo mali din spelling. Ayusin mo muna sarili mong salita bago ka mamuna s iba.
True, nangyari n din skin to dhil kakaisip ko s family ko bitbit ko isang bote ng water n bonaqua bago ako nakaakyat s bahay inaalala ko kung nabayaran ko nb ang water so bumalik ako at pinapunch up ko pra malaman kung bayad n sya o hnd pa. The i said sorry kahit walang nakapansin.hihi minsan tayo mga ofw pag may prob.s pamilya damay talaga ang trabaho. Kya bago kayo manghusga sna suotin muna ninyo mga sapatos ng nsa ibang bansa.
Maala na payla aguyaw pilipino talaga
Lyn Garces "creticised" tlg? ???????? galing mo pla sa spelling!!!
hahaha may kasabihan po tau don’t judge if u don’t want to be judged!kayanga mas mabuti pa tinagalig mo nalang yan teeeee nahiya ka Sa spelling pro Sa grammar mo dika nahiya sakit nohhhh awtsss
Lyn Garces pati spelling pag awayan pa sorry na ate qng mali pagkaspell tao lang po nagkakadali dn!criticize that’s the correct spelling!I thank u!
Maybe cost her life in shame
I think she meant to steal it as she put in her bag and only paid for the other things!I am sorry for her but i am 63 yrs old and a bread winner too but no way i will do such thing!
Di mo ba alam na me camera or cctv bawat stablishment un pagkarga mo sa bag ay sadya hindi un mababaw mong rason na nakalimutan kahit tayo sole bread winner wag naman natin gawin rason para magnakaw ngayon magtitiwala pa kaya un amo mo sayo?
anu ba yan kabayan, kaya mo n bayaran yan ah. bat mo gawin ganyan, nakakahya, gagawin mo yata yan na cookies. kinuha mo. d2 sa welcome taiwai
Lyn garces, ang galing mo namanlll Check mo nga rin ang spelling and grammar mo. Perfect ka ba???
Lyn Garces ate before ka mangorek ng spelling jan eh make sure your grammar is perfect otherwise mas nakakahiya ka.
I do this as well, lalo pag masikip yung shop e dami ko bitbit na pinalengke..now my lesson…hussle pa sa work pag magkaissue ..police saka amo na nasa work..all truoblesome
grammar et adi ????????????
Lyn Garces wow !where did you get your notion that western people criticized their helper about their spellings ?remember English is our third language,,western employers do admire us,been working with British family for 19yrs,,,,
wla nmn tyo sa klasi Kya no worry apgrde na tau
never put unpaid item to yr own bag… there is have trolley in the minimarket u can use it… last time i saw 1 helper take eggplant in wet market and direct put in her onw bag… but the owner saw it.. and the helper said she not mean it to stole it,, she just want to check another item and pay together.. but the owner still call the police… actually how much the eggplant? $6?? why destroy yr future just cuz $6 item??
hash.pati b nmnan soeling isyu sayo…kung sa court oo..impoetante spiling..sa fb ..move on na…haytik ngayun….
This may affect on us as a domestic worker in this country, not only this country but to the intire nation who read the news. it’s a shamed part on our dignity as a dw that there’s anyone who did but all was affected.basically, trust inctint destroyed..selfpity.????????????????????????????????
next time kabayan huwag kalimutan magbayd kc kht sabihin nkalimotan natin pagbayad iba prin ang iicipin ng ibang lahi. Lalo na theft yan d prang mawalN xila ng tiwala satin mga pinay…