Singapore: Couple convicted of abusing maid, forcing her to pour boiling water on herself
The couple, who forced the woman to drink dirty water mixed with detergent, also didn’t pay her salary for the duration of the employment.
A Singapore court on Friday held a couple guilty of abusing a maid, forcing her to pour hot water on herself and to drink dirty water mixed with floor cleaner, The Straits Times reported.
A district judge found Linda Seah Lei Sie, 39, and her husband Lim Toon Leng, 44, guilty of abusing the Myanmar national following a 15-day trial. The maid, identified as Phyu Phyu Mar, was allegedly abused from August 2016 to October 2016.
Seah was convicted of five assault charges and one count of causing the maid to drink dirty water. Her husband, an interior designer, was found guilty of one count of assault. The court is expected to pronounce the quantum of punishment on February 11.
“Linda and Lim sought to portray themselves as considerate and concerned employers,” District Judge Olivia Low said in her verdict. “But this could not be further from the truth.”
The couple also didn’t pay Mar her monthly salary of $700, around Rs 49,750, throughout her employment from February to October 2016.
Mar was forced to pour hot water on herself on two occasions. The prosecutors told the court that in the first incident, Seah was unhappy with the maid, boiled some water and then asked her to pour some on her own left shoulder. On the other occasion, Seah threatened Mar with police action unless she poured hot water over herself. Mar suffered blisters and scald marks on her skin.
Seah, on multiple occasions, struck Mar’s head against the floor, grabbed her hair, and used a mobile phone to hit her.