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| The cases were heard at Shatin Court |
A domestic helper charged with breach of condition of stay for alleged illegal work in a store, got off scot-free yesterday at Shatin court after prosecutors offered no evidence against her.
Instead, S. Pates, 42, was given a chance by Acting
Principal Magistrate Cheang Kei-hong to accept a bind-over agreement in return
for the charge being withdrawn, and paying $500 for court costs, to be taken
from her bail.
The bind-over involves a promise not to reoffend for 18
months, or else she would be made to pay a fine of $2,000 in addition to the
penalty for the new offense.
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| Pindutin para sa detalye |
Pates was charged by the Immigration Department with violating
Section 41 of the Immigration Ordinance which prescribes a maximum fine at
level 5 ($50,000) and imprisonment for 2 years.
The charge arose after Pates was arrested for doing odd jobs
at Yoyo Clothing Store in Tin Shui Wai On Feb 12, 2023.
The condition of her stay in Hong Kong, as granted by Immigration, requires her to work solely for the employer who signed the contract that she used to obtain a DH visa, the charge said.
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| Basahin ang detalye! |
Meanwhile, another Filipina was sentenced to nine weeks’
imprsonment after she pleaded guilty to breach of condition of stay by
overstaying for almost three years.
Danitas Tactay, 41 years old, was only allowed to stay until the expiration of her DH employment visa on Nov. 7, 2013, but she remained illegally in Hong Kong until she was arrested on June 17, 2016.
She then claimed non-refoulement to prevent her being sent
back to the Philippines. With her asylum application having been denied, this case
for overstaying was finally resolved by the Shatin Court.
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