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.
Kalimutan? Kalukuhan yan nakalimutan ang reason
Tagalog na lang kapatid.
Yan naman po kadalasan ginagawa natin sa wet market lalo pa dami na nating bitbit.ginagawa q yan pro di namn q pinag iisipan ng masama ng mga vendor..masyado lng pong oa ung vendor.bka mlay mo modus nla yan na imbes ipakulong ka mgbyad ka nlang sa knila ng pera.dati npagkamalan q sa mrket nmn na my kinuha sa frozen na tndahan.eh dumaan lng nmn q tas hinabol q ng tindira at binuksan bgla ung market bag q.un wla syang nkitabkc di pa namn q nkapamili.cnabi q ky amo q.ngalit xa kc dapat dw tinawagan q xa at dapat dw q ung tumawag ng pulis kc mpagbintang cla..share lng po..hehe
Kapag may problema ang isang tao madalas mangyayari ang ganyan yung mga magagaleng wag naman agad manghusga….naranasan ko rin yan bastat may iniisip ka stress sa trabaho at pagod ang katawang lupa di mo na alam ano gagawin mo.Minsan nga may kausap ako sa celfone hinahanap ko pa celfone ko eh. Walang perpektong tao lahat nagkakamali. As what the news says she got a good record. bago humusga isipin nalang natin kung tayo kaya ang nasa sitwasyon nya?
T is not difficult to put the goods inside the trolley ,if you dontlike the push cart you can use the basket…rather than put it in your own bag!theft is a serious crime everywhere
Raquel Legaspi Blasi ganyan talaga ang tao..kahit hindi alam ang buong kwento mapanghusga…
True..minsan nangyayari talaga yan…
I do the same, oh my god, scary
Kung nakalimutan bkit nakakarga na sa bag niya?Db dapat nasa basket tray palng?
I don’t think this incident will affect fellow domestic workers at all.Her wrong doings is hers alone.Theft happens all over the world,domestic workers ,professionals,politicians,anybody..In any case,just don’t do illegal activities,no matter what.
Ako pag namimili aq kahit saan na supermarket nilalagay ko din sa bag ng marketing. Hnd na aq nav trotroley ks isip ko 3or 4 pcs lng naman ang bibilhin .kya nilalagay ko .pagdating sa counter talavang pinakikita ko ang marketing bag ko na wala ng laman. Kya sa atin mga kabayan kahit ilagay mo sa m.bag ipakita mo sa counter .na nilabas mo lahat ng hnd tyo mapahiya.
Kaya nga tama kasalanan ng 1damay lahat baka mawawalan na sila ng tiwala sa mga filipina ingat din kasi.
Tama..kasalanan ng 1 damay lahat..
Magganda sana if good deeds yan ginawa..OMG!
Tama ka kabayan
Dahil ako din pag namamalingke
Direct talaga sa bag ngamin kasi tulak ko wheelchair ng alaga ko,
Dapat sana yong mga kalahi natin wag naman masyado husgahan si kabayan,
maybe she really forget to pay that items.. we filipina are aware about the cctv. every corner of the shop have cctv..
bakit kasi magnanakaw pa reputasyon mo ay madadamay lahat lahat ng pilipino sa isang iglap sa ginawa mo….kakahiya ka talaga..hindi rason makimutan mo kc sa dami ng kinuha mo buti sana kong isa lng piro parang siyam lahat na items yan grabih sana di ka na lng nag abroad.
Wala nb ibang lahi?halos pinay na lang..
Ingat po wag maglagay sa bag sa basket para di makalumutan bayaran. sayang ang oras at panahon na masayang. sa buhay mo kung tyo at mag kamali.
That sucks!!!!seriously…??nakalimutan inilagay nga s bag nya..lols…terminate n yan for sure nit only in supermarket nya kayang gawin ung ginawa nyang yun..
bear in mind mga kababayans that we are working in a foreign country.Cctv’s are all around we can’t lie or defend ourselves even if we do it in purpose or not,this must be a lesson to all of us.You’re still lucky cos they didn’t put you into jail kabayan.