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| Estrada and her co-accused pleaded guilty to illegal gambling in Kowloon Court |
A Filipina who said she had a heart problem was fined $2,000
by a Kowloon City
Joann Estrada, 52, appeared with
Estrada, Chew and Tam, who were not represented by lawyers,
all pleaded guilty to the charge.
The first defendant, Hong Kong
female Tse Kwok-wan, who allegedly managed the gambling establishment in a first-floor
flat at 87 Woosung St.
According to the prosecution, Estrada and the three defendants
were arrested during an anti-illegal gambling operation on Mar 25.
After a team of five officers rang the bell of the flat, Tse
opened the door. Inside, the officers found Estrada, Chew and Tam sitting
around a fish-hitting machine with game cards in front of them.
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The police said the three gambled on the video game machine using
betting points that they bought beforehand, at $100 per 10,000 points. Tse used
a card reader to issue points to the players’ game cards. Accumulated points
won were later redeemed in cash.
The prosecution said that $25,000 in cash was among the
exhibits seized during the raid.
Tse who reportedly managed the den, also monitored the CCTV
camera that was installed outside the flat. She was paid $800 per day and a 10%
commission for point sales.
The prosecution said the establishment was owned by
Catherine Hung and Wong Kwok-wun but that no case was brought against them.
When Estrada was asked by the magistrate if she had anything
to say in mitigation, she said she was unemployed because she had a heart
ailment. She added she was not in the raided flat to gamble.
“Then why did you plead guilty?” asked the magistrate.
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“I was there waiting for a friend who told me to wait there.
I did not know that it was a gambling place,” she replied.
She said she pleaded guilty to the charge only because she
was confused and sick.
Chan told her to sit at the gallery for awhile to think her
plea over. But when the magistrate called her again, Estrada said she wanted to
plead guilty and admitted she was at the establishment to gamble.
Chan ordered that half of Estrada’s $2,000 fine be offset by
her bail.
