A Filipina maid has alleged that police strip-searched her several times after she was arrested for allegedly stealing money from her employer in early January.
Margie Lotino, aged about 30 and who worked for a family in Pokfulam on Hong Kong Island, was giving evidence during her trial on theft charges in the Eastern Magistrates’ Court on Friday. She complained about a series of alleged strip-searches, sunwebhk.com reported.
Lotino was arrested on Jan. 2 for allegedly stealing HK$500 (US$63) from her employer. She pleaded not guilty and claimed she had been set up.
She said she found the HK$500 banknote on the floor when she was cleaning the master bedroom and put the bill on a cabinet top in the living room and told her employer about it that evening.
The employer reportedly thanked the maid, but reached to pick up the money with a towel, suggesting she did not want her fingerprints on the bill, the maid said. Not long afterwards, police came to the apartment and searched Lotino and her belongings.
During her arrest and the investigation process, female police officers searched Lotino on four separate occasions: first in her employers’ house, the second time at Western Police Station, the third time at Wanchai Police Station and the fourth time back at the Western Police Station, the court heard.
During two separate body searches in the toilet at her employers’ flat, Lotino said various officers took turns ordering her to strip down to her underwear. As one search took place at Western Police Station, a male officer entered the room while she was only wearing a bra and panties.
She claimed an officer told her to admit the crime and she would be sent to the Philippines. As she was cold, hungry and under intense pressure from the repeated body searches and interrogation, Lotino said she signed a cautioned statement admitting the offense.
She identified five female officers who conducted the body searches and one male officer who signed the custody search document during an identification parade at Wanchai Police Station on April 13.
The six officers were called in to give evidence on Friday and four of them answered “disagree” or “I can’t recall” when asked the same questions about the strip-searches. They all told the court they only searched the outer clothes – the Level One stipulated in police guidelines.
Deputy magistrate Simon K F Ho ordered both parties to make written submissions when the hearing resumes on May 6 and extended the defendant’s bail.
Oh my God maybe her employer napaka poor at demonyo nilalang slamat nman sa dyos hndi ganyan amoko 900 pa pera nkkta ko sa bulsa nila at madlas 500 nilalagay kolng sa piano cnsb kolng nakuha ko sa bulsa nila dun pa ak kumukuha ng pera sa piano pg may klngan ak bilihin.. lalo na pgkain ko pagkain bata..
if the situation is about stealing,bad attides and bad etc…its too easy for them to point it out as #FILIPINA Domestic Helper.but when the situation is heroic or something good happens,they will just say #domestichelper????
Just because of a 500 dollar bill, they’ve got to strip off the maid? That’s bullshit. Is that really police procedure? To search the poor maid four times? What’s happening to the Police force in Hongkong? It looks like they are not safe anymore to run to when troubles arise. Why force the maid to plead guilty? Why don’t you investigate the employer too?
Employers with that kind of atitude must go to hell!if you want to terminate your helper why you should do such thing!f…k u!
Gusto E terminate kaso! Ng hihinayang sa 1 month di nag iisip na mabubulag og trabajo nila. Kaya ang ginawa nag pakain ng 500???????????? yan ang sakit nila. Kung ako dilang Ma blabla. Piniringan ko pera, at iflush sa toilet tingnan ko lang kung may makita sila,
Oo nga..
Dapat imention din yung employer kuno na akala mo nman nawalan ng hundred thousand dollars. Hindi ba nag iisip yung mga police na sya nga naglagay sa ibabaw kasi napulot nya tapos kung masearch ganun n lng.
It’s a plain sexual harassment by these police officers … shame to their ranks as a HK police while they are looked up as the most dignified officers in the Asia Pacific.
Granting that she was a suspect… there’s should be a due process of interrogation & a warrant to be serve before they do it to any individuals. A person is innocent until proven guilty !!
I find it a brutal discrimination to Filipino nationals … not to mentioned being looked down as a second rotten citizen in HK!
My thoughts.
So cheap 500$ nanakawin ng helper? Really???? what I know is,all helpers working hard for money.we do take good care our boss and his entire family.we do our best to work for them.but really most of Chinese people are bad.no respect impolite rude people.seldom are good
Correct
Stupid racist hk chinese
why only the helpers name could be written in this article?you should put also the name of ghat lunatic employers name si that everynewz report is fair,ASIA TIMES anyare?
kala ko fair ang justice dto para s lhat ng lahi d rin pla
Liza Ferrer buang talaga cla para un lng halata nman set up lng
Wow! How sad thats this happen again and again. why not just release their maid if they don’t like to work for them anymore. It’s such savage kind of attitude. Well..my fellow filipino’s fight if you are not guilty. the truth shall prevail there is God who is more powerful and just. This people who has god their money i’m sure they can have their judgement. I’m sure of that.
I think by reading what was written here,it might be this, the employer dropped some money while changing, employee picks up n tells employer,so she starts thinking employee must have been stealing from me n now pretent to put it back this time n act innocent,n since employer might want to change employee. As for police I think they take advance of the employee whose scared,but everyone has their rights,unless a person has suspect of guns or bomb,or drugs,,1 should not need to be strip out to search..i hope this will be over soon n u may fine a gd employer,,n always remember ur rights
hahahaha OA ka nmn ateng.
only 500 hk dollar and.police made 4.or.5times body.searched on.different.occasion.or.place..that.obviously a set up just to pressure the.maid and admit the crime she didnt.obviously.the.employer connive with those police and screwed.up.the.maid..
to all maids never admit.any crime that you didnt do,even.if.they.pressure or.cause.you.death..better die than admitting something that u didnt do..die with pride and.dignity
1st time this case in hk
Too much for only 500 h.k $? It’s not millions. Or hundred of thousands.
Kawawa nman c kabayan..????