A migrant worker from Indonesia has been sentenced to jail for stealing face masks in Causeway Bay, Hong Kong.

A statement from the Indonesian Consulate General in Hong Kong revealed that an Indonesian worker identified as Masriki had stolen face masks and resold them to others.

Masriki was sentenced to four weeks in jail. The court also ordered him to return the HK$12,000 (US$1,540) he had earned from selling the face masks. 

“The Indonesian Consulate General is observing this case closely and [will] make sure that the defendant receives a translator and legal advisors throughout the trial process,” Consul General Ricky Suhendar said in a written statement received by The Jakarta Post on Friday. 

“Based on our observation, the defendant has admitted to his action and received a fair punishment.”

With the Hong Kong penitentiary closed down due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Indonesian Consulate General has yet to visit the worker in jail.

The Consulate General gave assurances that Indonesian workers in Hong Kong would not experience a face mask shortage because it was constantly supplying them with face masks. The Consulate General has thus far provided 150,000 face masks for free to Indonesian workers in Hong Kong.