Hong Kong teacher cleared of abusing domestic helper, court says evidence ‘riddled with holes’
- Educator Mak Pui-shan cleared of all charges by West Kowloon Court for alleged mistreatment of domestic helper Eden Gumba Pales
- Deputy Magistrate Sara Li says Pales’ verbal testimony was ‘riddled with holes’ compared to strong evidence provided by Mak’s defence
A secondary school teacher in Hong Kong accused of repeatedly abusing a domestic helper has been cleared of all charges after a magistrate found the worker’s evidence to be contradictory.
Educator Mak Pui-shan, 35, stood trial at West Kowloon Court last October for allegedly mistreating Eden Gumba Pales, 37, at a Tsuen Wan high-rise residential flat on five occasions between October 2020 and May 29 this year.
On Wednesday, Deputy Magistrate Sara Li Cheuk-wai cleared the teacher of all six charges, saying Pales’ account of events was “riddled with holes” in contrast to Mak’s well-supported defence.
Mak had faced one count of administering a noxious substance with intent to injure, one for criminal intimidation and four others for assault-related offences.
In pleading not guilty to all charges, Mak said the alleged abuses were made-up stories by Pales in retaliation for sacking the domestic worker.
During the trial, Pales accused the teacher of forcing her to work long hours, denying her any time off and attacking the domestic helper if her work was deemed unsatisfactory.