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| The Filipina was not allowed to post bail by a West Kowloon magistrate |
A Filipina domestic helper has pleaded not guilty in West Kowloon Court today, Tuesday, to three counts of wilfully assaulting and causing injury to her young ward in a residential block in Kwai Chung, New Territories, in March this year.
Shaira Joy G. Umbao emphatically replied “No”
when asked before Acting Principal Magistrate Veronica Heung if she was
pleading guilty to each of the charges laid against her by the prosecution.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE! |
Her denial set the stage for a trial of the case
at 9:30am on May 19 in Court No.5 at West Kowloon Court.
Magistrate Heung considered the case urgent and
asked both the prosecution and defense lawyers if they will be available for a
trial on May 15. She ordered a break for more than an hour as the prosecutor
contacted the mother, who is the main prosecution witness, for her availability
to testify.
The prosecution charged that at an unspecified time
on March 14, Umbao wilfully assaulted the victim, identified only as Girl X, in
a manner that injured the child.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
On March 15, the helper allegedly assaulted the
child a second time, also causing her injury. After the third alleged assault
on Girl X on March 16, the victim’s mother called the police and the defendant
was arrested. She has been in police custody ever since.
The female prosecutor objected to allowing the
defendant to post bail, saying her case is a serious offense, the evidence
against her is strong, including a video footage. She said Umbao is a flight
risk as she has no fixed address in Hong Kong, and that she might interfere in
the investigation.
The defense lawyer, however, challenged the video
evidence, saying it was just a 10-second clip that showed no actual movement
and that the supposed attack was just a still shot labelled as the assault. As
such, the evidence is weak, she said.
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| BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS NOW! PRESS FOR DETAIL |
The lawyer also applied for a $500 bail for the
defendant, saying that since Umbao’s arrest in March, she had been in police
custody. The lawyer said that the Philippine Consulate General has been
assisting the defendant since her arrest, with a PCG labor staff present at the
hearing.
For the proposed address, the PCG offered to admit
Umbao into the Consulate’s shelter for
distressed workers.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
Heung, however, rejected the defendant’s bail
application, saying the prosecution fears that she might not submit herself to
the custody of the court, the charges she is facing are serious, and that she
might interfere in the investigation.
The magistrate ordered her back into police
custody and told her to return for the trial on May 19.
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| PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE |
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| PADALA NA! |
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