Judge Orders Arrest of Pinay for Shabu
Image Caption: The Eastern Magistrates’ Courts in Sai Wan Ho
A judge ordered the arrest of a Filipina who failed to turn up in court for the hearing of the two drug charges against her.
Deputy Magistrate Jacky Ip Kai-leung of the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts issued an arrest order against Gladys de Vera who did not appear on October 24 in court. De Vera’s cases were listed for mention.
At about 10 a.m., the duty lawyer told the court that they were calling the defendant’s mobile phone, but she was not answering.
Judge Ip then adjourned the hearing of her cases at 10:45 a.m. Then at 11:55 a.m., and with the defendant still not in court, the prosecutor asked Judge Ip to issue a warrant of arrest against De Vera.
On October 17, Judge Ip warned De Vera that she would have to stand trial without a legal representative if she failed again to seek the services of a duty lawyer.
The judge told the defendant that he could not adjourn her trial forever and would have to represent herself in court.
“I went to the duty lawyer this morning, but they will not represent me,” De Vera told the court through an interpreter.
The defendant’s trial was originally scheduled on October 3, but she sought an adjournment and asked for more time.
De Vera then told the court that she would seek the service of a duty lawyer.
However, on October 17, De Vera said she was unable to get in touch with the duty lawyer because she had work from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
When asked what she wanted to do, the defendant asked for one more week so she could get in touch with the duty lawyer.
De Vera said she would request a leave from her work so she could confer with the duty lawyer on October 20.
“But why did you not ask for a leave in the previous weeks?” Judge Ip said.
“[One of our staff members] was on leave and would be coming back on October 20,” De Vera said.
Judge Ip then instructed her to go to the Duty Lawyer Service. The magistrate also asked the interpreter to assist De Vera at the Duty Lawyer. After about an hour, accompanied by a duty lawyer, De Vera told the court that she paid the $540 handling fees.
De Vera was charged with possessing two plastic bags containing crystalline, methamphetamine hydrochloride in Wan Chai on March 25, 2016.
(Source: HongKongNews.com.hk)