A domestic maid and her employer were remanded in custody for three days yesterday by the Nicosia district court in connection with a series of charges relating to forged documents and registering in Cyprus under false pretenses.

The employer allegedly assisted her domestic helper obtain a fake passport while in the Philippines so she could return to Cyprus and work for her.

According to police, during random checks carried out by immigration police, a 43-year-old Filipino woman was arrested in Nicosia on suspicion of carrying a fake passport.

During questioning, the 43-year-old reportedly told police in a voluntary statement that she had worked as a domestic helper in the residence of a 42-year-old Cypriot woman in Nicosia until August 2007, when her work permit expired and she had to leave Cyprus.

The Filipino reportedly told police that she later returned to Cyprus with a fake passport after reaching an understanding with her employer to come back to the island using a different name to work again for her.

The employer allegedly sent the 43-year-old €500 to buy a fake passport from the Philippines. After getting the passport, she sent her new details and other certificates to the 42-year-old employer. The Cypriot employer then used the forged documents to apply for a new work and residence permit for the Filipino helper, which she got.

According to sources, police requested arrest warrants for both on Wednesday. However the presiding judge in the Nicosia district court refused to issue a warrant for the 42-year-old employer, giving one only for the 43-year-old domestic helper. Police tried again yesterday with a different judge in the district court who issued the warrant for the 42-year-old and ordered the remand of both women for three days.

Nicosia CID is investigating charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, forgery, circulating false documents, ensuring registration under false pretences, and illegal entry to the territory of the Cyprus Republic.