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Liew Mun Leong Billion Dollars Temasek Reputation Has Been Rubbished

shiokalingam

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Ex-maid acquitted of stealing from CAG chairman: Shanmugam says good to see justice delivered, cautions against witch hunt in review

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Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam cautioned against prejudging what part of the process had gone wrong in the case of former domestic worker Parti Liyani.PHOTOS: GIN TAY, ST FILE
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SINGAPORE - The authorities take very seriously the judge's comments on the case of former domestic worker Parti Liyani, who was acquitted of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family, and will deal with what had gone wrong in the process of investigations, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Tuesday (Sept 8).

However, the minister cautioned against prejudging what part of the process had gone wrong, and said that the public should wait for the outcome of reviews that are now being conducted by the authorities.

Commenting on the reviews, Mr Shanmugam said: "In the process, we should not be defensive. It should not be a witch hunt. It's got to be a fair process. We have to find out what happened, why it happened and then deal with it. And be accountable. That's the best way to build trust in public, in the system. To come out in public and say what steps we have taken once the reviews are done."

Mr Shanmugam, who was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a grassroots event, was asked for his comments on the case, which had sparked a public outcry.

It also led to some questioning if the class and status differences between the domestic worker and Mr Liew and his family had contributed to unfairness in the judicial process.

Asked about this, Mr Shanmugam said it is good to see justice delivered, based on the High Court's judgment. However, he stressed that the justice system is impartial to all and fair, and the status and position of the parties involved do not matter.

"(Ms Parti) was charged in a criminal case based on a complaint by the business person. The judge's judgment goes through the facts very carefully. It sets out what the break in the chain of evidence is and in that way, it is good to see that justice is both blind and that justice has been delivered."

He also commended Ms Parti's lawyer, Mr Anil Balchandani, who acted pro bono.

Though he has not read Mr Balchandani's submissions, he was told that Mr Balchandani had picked up on various inconsistencies in the evidence and why his client ought not to be convicted.

"He did a thorough and good job of it. That's a lawyer's job. To be thorough, to be clear, to put forward everything fairly to the court. Based on what I've heard, I think he ought to be commended. He's done a good job."

On Sunday, the Attorney-General's Chambers, the police and the Ministry of Manpower said that they are looking into the case.

Ms Parti, 46, who worked for the Liew family from 2007 to 2016, was accused of stealing more than $34,000 worth of items from them. After a trial in the State Courts, she was found guilty on four counts of theft and sentenced to jail for two years and two months in March last year.

She appealed to the High Court against her conviction and sentence, and was acquitted last Friday.

Justice Chan Seng Onn, in his 100-page judgment on the case, found the trial judge's conviction against her to be unsafe.

He cited the handling of the evidence by the police, the recording of the allegedly stolen items and the improper motive behind the allegations of some family members.

The police said on Sunday they would be looking into several observations on police investigations made by Justice Chan.

While police did not elaborate on what these observations were, the judge had found that there was a break in the chain of custody of evidence. This created a reasonable doubt as to whether some of the allegedly stolen items discovered by the family were accurately documented by the photographs taken by the police some five weeks later.

During this period, the family were also told by the police that they were free to use the items. They took and put back items into the boxes, but it was not clear if the items that were put back were the same ones removed earlier.

Justice Chan also found that two statements were taken from Ms Parti without an interpreter.
 

bonds

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Salute this domestic worker. A simple woman is gutsy and courageous to fight. She is mightier than the idiotic douchebag and LB son.
 

zeddy

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One other thing needs to be raised and emphasised in this terrible miscarriage of justice matter.

Minister of Law and Home Affairs needs to also account to the public on how much of public funds was wasted in dealing with this poor unfortunate maid's case. Every single cent should be accounted for from SPF resources, AG's chambers resources and Court resources. This would run into 6 figures easily.

Final bill should then be charged to LML and family multiplied by 2 as a punitive damages. Then 50% of this sum should be given to the wronged Indo maid as compensation for the miscarriage of justice.

Agree.... Gross miscarriage of justice here... Black Mamba's silence is deafening. But when it comes to the AHTC saga, he was quick to shoot his mouth... Credit to Anil the lawyer for doing so much work and yet staying humble instead giving full credit to the supporting NGOs. Always a good feeling to see an underdog like Parti triumphing against the rich and powerful Pappy elite.
 

zhihau

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Agree.... Gross miscarriage of justice here... Black Mamba's silence is deafening. But when it comes to the AHTC saga, he was quick to shoot his mouth... Credit to Anil the lawyer for doing so much work and yet staying humble instead giving full credit to the supporting NGOs. Always a good feeling to see an underdog like Parti triumphing against the rich and powerful Pappy elite.


Sham said cannot go witch hunting woh :biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:
 

shiokalingam

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Government to deal with 'what went wrong' in prosecution of CAG chairman Liew Mun Leong's maid: K Shanmugam
de1deb10-decf-11e9-bf1b-a241b62ad0d1

Staff Writer, Singapore
Editorial Team
Yahoo News Singapore8 September 2020


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Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam addresses Parliament in a file photo. (Photo: Screengrab)


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SINGAPORE — The government will review shortcomings which led to the criminal prosecution of Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong’s former maid of nine years, who was last week acquitted by the High Court on four charges of theft.

Parti Liyani had initially been sentenced by a district judge to a jail term of two years and two months for stealing items worth a total of $34,000. Among the items listed in her charges were a DVD player that could not play, two outdated iPhone 4s which could not be switched on, and an Ikea bedsheet wrongly priced at $500.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a community event on Tuesday (8 September), Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam cautioned against a witch hunt, even as as the government undertakes the review in pursuit of public trust and accountability.

“The (High Court) judge’s comments, we take them very seriously. Something has gone wrong in the chain of events. We have to look at that, and deal with what went wrong,” Shanmugam was quoted as saying by news website Today.

According to broadsheet The Straits Times in an online article, the minister added, “In the process, we should not be defensive. It should not be a witch hunt. It’s got to be a fair process. We have to find out what happened, why it happened and then deal with it. And be accountable. That's the best way to build trust in public, in the system. To come out in public and say what steps we have taken once the reviews are done.”

On Sunday, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said the High Court judgment, which was released on Friday, “do raise questions which warrant further investigations” and that it will assess if further action ought to be taken.

The same day, the Ministry of Manpower said it is in consultation with the AGC to decide if further action ought to be taken; the ministry had already issued a caution to Liew for illegally deploying the maid.

Meanwhile, the police also on Sunday said it was studying the judgment. “Several observations about police’s investigations have been raised. The police are looking into them.”

Break in chain of evidence

In acquitting Parti Liyani, 46, of her four theft charges, Justice Chan Seng Onn found that the Liew family may have had an “improper motive” in filing a police report against her. The Indonesian had threatened to lodge a complaint against the Liew family for unlawfully assigning her cleaning duties at Liew’s son Karl’s house and office. Liew and Karl filed a police report two days after Parti left Singapore.

In his 100-page judgment, Justice Chan noted, among other things, that there was a break in the chain of custody of evidence. The Liew family handled allegedly stolen items for their daily use, and items were also put back into the three boxes containing allegedly stolen items.

“This creates a real possibility of a mix up of the items... with no clarity if the returned items are the same items that have been removed earlier,” said Justice Chan.

The police investigator had attended to the scene of the alleged crime only five weeks later. He also told the Liew family that they were free to make use of the evidence.

Said Justice Chan, “In my judgment, the police’s delay in (a) visiting the crime scene and taking photographs of the allegedly stolen items and (b) seizing the items, coupled with the mishandling of the exhibits by the complainants for their daily use created a clear break in the chain of custody of the evidence from their discovery on 29 October 2016 to 3 December 2016 when the photographs of the alleged exhibits were taken.

This means that apart from the video footage (taken by the family), there is a lack of contemporaneous evidence of the specific items that were found in the three jumbo boxes allegedly stolen by Parti.”


Police statements taken without interpreter

The High Court judge also noted other shortcoming: police statements had been taken in a mix of English and Bahasa Melayu, without an official Bahasa Indonesia interpreter present.

For one statement that was recorded, the police investigator testified in court that after it was taken, he read it out in English, and then translated it into Bahasa Melayu. But the end of the written statement stated that it had been read back to Parti in English, which was not her native language.

Another statement was recorded in English and read back to her in Bahasa Melayu.

During cross-examination at Parti’s trial at the State Courts, the investigator conceded that there was a difference between Bahasa Melayu and Bahasa Indonesia and he could have interpreted some of the Bahasa Indonesia words in a different way than it had been intended.

Justice Chan also noted that Parti was questioned by investigators not with reference to the actual physical items which were the subject of the proceeded charges, but instead with reference to the photographs of the numerous items.

In another police statement that was recorded from Parti, another investigator also wrongly referenced photos of items on four occasions.

Parti was also given poor quality black and white photos of items during the recording of police statements and did not recognise items clearly. Justice Chan said he agreed that black and white photos were of poor quality.


Karl Liew didn’t take court process seriously

Justice Chan also said in his judgment, “Karl was a witness who was not only lacking in credibility but also did not take the process of giving testimony seriously. Karl’s evidence was internally inconsistent and contradicted by the other witnesses. Karl’s testimony that he had in his possession multiple female items that Parti allegedly stole from him is also highly suspect.”

Testifying at the State Courts on the price of a watch allegedly given to him by his father, Karl said he valued it at $50. The elder Liew had earlier denied having owned the watch.

According to the court transcript, Karl said, “No, it was --- was something and, uh, even it costs you is $100 now. So if I take a really ugly looking watch, I divide into two (laughing), I mean it’s really possible that it will be $50 right because [inaudible] online is already a $100.”

Karl also initially alleged that smaller-sized, female clothing that Parti stole belonged to him.

“When confronted with the question if he had a ‘habit of wearing women’s clothes’, Karl replied that he sometimes wore women’s T-shirts. This assertion is highly unbelievable,” said Justice Chan.

Karl also insisted that two black women’s wallets were his under cross-examination at Parti’s trial. He testified that he always used a Gucci wallet but was unable to provide detailed evidence as to whether and when he used them.

He claimed the wallets were gifts from his family, but the Liew family testified that they did not gift him the items.

Justice Chan said he was “troubled by various aspects of Karl’s evidence that the (district) judge appears not to have considered.”

It was incumbent on her to appraise the entirety of his credibility, instead of “simply justifying Karl’s ostensible lack of credibility with his inability to recall if some items (including smaller-sized female clothing) had ever been in his possession or if he had ever worn them,” said Justice Chan.

The High Court judge added, “Karl’s own evidence was contradicted by the Liew family who testified that they did not gift Karl these wallets. The plain inference to be drawn from the (district) judge’s above conclusion is that Karl was not telling the truth in claiming possession over what appears to be women’s wallets. It is unclear how the judge could have arrived at the conclusion that it was likely that Karl was ‘mistaken’ about these two women’s wallets having been gifted to him.”

Karl, a former private banker, was made a bankrupt in early 2017. In January 2018, the High Court found that he was liable for $6.5 million in investments he had guaranteed a businessman, and that he was liable for deceit in making false representations about the investments, which were in China. The businessman had sued Karl for breaching the personal guarantees.

Then-Judicial Commissioner Audrey Lim had said in her judgment that she found Karl, “to be a dishonest and evasive witness, whose evidence was riddled with inconsistencies”.

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Johnrambo

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"I never believed I was guilty": An Indonesian domestic worker's fight to clear her name


September 2020


Parti Liyani, an Indonesian domestic worker, was accused of stealing S$50,000 of items from her employers in 2016, an accusation that emerged after she was suddenly fired after nine years of employment. Parti maintained her innocence and chose to claim trial. Almost four years, a State Court trial, and High Court appeal later, Parti has been acquitted. The following is an account of her protracted journey to clear her name.

Parti’s employment with the Liew family


Parti Liyani worked for the Liew family for nine years, from 2007 to 2016. While Mr Liew Mun Leong was listed as her employer, Parti was mostly liaising with Mrs Liew (or Mdm Ng, Liew Mun Leong’s wife), the matriarch of the household. During the nine years Parti worked for the Liews, there were periods where family members shifted in and out: Karl Liew (Liew’s son), Heather Lim (Karl’s wife), May Liew (Liew’s daughter), and June Liew (Liew’s daughter). Karl and Heather also got married and had children while Parti was employed. Mr Liew is the current chairman of the Changi Airport Group and the former CEO of Capitaland.

Parti’s Termination & The Three Packing Boxes

On 28 October 2016, Karl Liew arrived at the house with two men, employment agents, and informed Parti she was fired. Karl told Parti she had two hours to pack her things and leave the house. Parti was in shock, and testified in Court that she pleaded with Karl not to be sent home, but he was resolute.


After working for the Liews for nine years—and in Singapore for almost 20 years—Parti had many items to pack, and Mrs Liew agreed for one of the Liew’s drivers, Ismail, to collect three packing boxes for her. Ismail returned with the three boxes and assembled them, along with Robin (Mr Liew’s other driver). Robin and Ismail then proceed to assist Parti by filling up the boxes with items that had been strewn outside her small room. Parti was busy packing her luggage and hand carry: Parti asked Mrs Liew if she wanted to check the contents of her luggage, but Mrs Liew declined.
Parti also gave Karl a black trash bag filled with clothes that Karl had given (months earlier) to his previous domestic worker, Jane. When Jane left Singapore sometime in September or October 2016, she did not want to take these used clothes—which comprised office shirts, T-shirts, pants, suit jackets and trousers —with her, and had passed the bag to Parti. In Court, both Karl and Parti testified that this black trash bag of Karl’s used clothes was left by a pillar near the three boxes.

Parti then left with the employment agents. While she took her luggage and hand carry, the three boxes remained in the house: Karl had promised to send them back to Indonesia for her. Parti was sent to the airport and repatriated. The boxes remained at the Liew residence and were never sent to Parti.

Parti’s Return & Arrest

Parti returned to Surabaya, Indonesia, and waited for the employment agent to contact her. After about five weeks with no news, Parti decided to return to Singapore and flew back on a social visit (tourist) pass to find new work.
When Parti arrived at Changi Airport on 2 December 2016, she was arrested and taken to Tanglin police station. She was informed that her employer, Liew Mun Leong, had filed a police report against her on 30 October 2016, alleging she had stolen items from him.

The Liew family’s version of what happened after Parti left the house on 28 October 2016 emerged during the course of the trial. The day after Parti left for Indonesia, on 29 October 2016, Mrs Liew, Karl, and Heather (Karl’s wife) decided to open the three boxes. In Court, Karl mentioned his mother allegedly spotted Parti packing an item identified as Japanese “thermal wear” that possibly belonged to Mr Liew, and therefore wanted to open the boxes. Heather mentioned checking for “illegal” items, like “drugs” or “explosives”. Karl then alleged that when they opened the boxes, they found items inside that belonged to them. He and his father, Mr Liew, then filed a police report on 30 October 2016. In the police report, Mr Liew alleged that Parti had stolen a range of items which allegedly belonged to their Liew family.

Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Tang Ru Long testified in Court that upon receiving the police report on 30 Oct 2016, he put up a police gazette to issue a Warrant of Arrest for Parti Liyani. Five weeks later, Parti, who had no idea these allegations were filed against her, flew back to Singapore in order to try and seek new employment, and was arrested upon her arrival.


A lot more at https://tinyurI.com/y5yfp3m9
 

Porfirio Rubirosa

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From Shan's brief cunning default action statement and another more cunning default action statement by Temasek boss Dilhan earlier this afternoon, it looks like LML currently not totally ditched by his PAP masters, particularly HC i guess.

Looks like they are trying to buy time and defuse the fire while deciding which course of action to take.

More like trying to find patsy scapegoats to protect LML if they can. Maybe push everything onto Karl Liew and say Mrs Liew inadvertently made honest mistakes.

Public must not accept this PAP whitewash approach and push hard for full and total accountability and responsibility all the way to LML himself.

Interesting that AGC can move for a discharge of the final matter hanging over Parti's head so fast.

I suspect what LML might do now to save his skin is reach a quick financial settlement with Parti and close it out with a qualified apology and Parti adding in she has no ill feelings so lets move on.
 

GoldenDragon

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From Shan's brief cunning default action statement and another more cunning default action statement by Temasek boss Dilhan earlier this afternoon, it looks like LML currently not totally ditched by his PAP masters, particularly HC i guess.

Looks like they are trying to buy time and defuse the fire while deciding which course of action to take.

More like trying to find patsy scapegoats to protect LML if they can. Maybe push everything onto Karl Liew and say Mrs Liew inadvertently made honest mistakes.

Public must not accept this PAP whitewash approach and push hard for full and total accountability and responsibility all the way to LML himself.

Interesting that AGC can move for a discharge of the final matter hanging over Parti's head so fast.

I suspect what LML might do now to save his skin is reach a quick financial settlement with Parti and close it out with a qualified apology and Parti adding in she has no ill feelings so lets move on.
Your last paragraph has reference. Agree that’s the best option left for that bastard

But sole discretion lies with AGC - to prosecute the Liews or administer a stern warning in lieu of court prosecution.

Given his background and links to the elites, my money is on a warning only. Only a fool believe the law is fair. If the maid had cooked up the case, 101% jail time.
 

shiokalingam

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Acquitted Indonesian domestic worker receives donations of S$28,000 in less than a day

SINGAPORE — A fundraiser for an Indonesian domestic worker who was recently acquitted of theft has raised its target of S$28,000 less than a day after it was launched.


The money will help Ms Parti Liyani, who was accused by her former employer Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong of theft, set up a food business in Indonesia.


Non-governmental organisation (NGO) Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) set up the fundraiser. Its spokesperson said on Monday (Sept 7): “We are very encouraged by the many kind-hearted Singaporeans who are concerned for Parti Liyani and stepped forward to offer help.”


Last Friday, the High Court acquitted Ms Parti, 46, of all four charges of theft that had been levelled against her.


She had originally been found guilty in a district court of stealing S$34,000 worth of items from Mr Liew and his family and sentenced to two years and two months’ jail.


Read more at https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/acquitted-indonesian-domestic-worker-receives-donations-s28000-less-day
 

shiokalingam

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Ex-maid of Changi Airport Group chairman now a free woman after court grants discharge on remaining charge


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Indonesian Parti Liyani was granted a discharge amounting to an acquittal for the remaining charge on Sept 8, 2020.ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW




SINGAPORE - Four days after she was acquitted of stealing from the family of Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong, a former domestic worker has been cleared of all criminal charges.

Last Friday (Sept 4), the High Court overturned the convictions against Indonesian Parti Liyani, 46, on four theft charges for stealing about $34,000 worth of items.

On Tuesday, Ms Parti was granted a discharge amounting to an acquittal for the fifth charge, for fraudulent possession of property, at the State Courts, after the prosecution applied to drop the charge against her.

This charge related to 18 items in her possession - not linked to the Liew family - that she was suspected to have "fraudulently obtained" and for which she was accused of failing to give a satisfactory account of how she came to obtain them.

The items comprised six ez-link cards, a pawn ticket, brand-name bags and wallets, two watches and fashion accessories such as earrings and necklaces.

According to the charge sheet, the items were of "unknown value".

It is unclear if the brand-name goods, including a Miu Miu bag and two Prada wallets, were authentic.

These items were found on her at the airport when she returned to Singapore in December 2016 to find work after being fired by the Liew family on Oct 28 that year.

After her acquittal on the remaining charge, her lawyer, Mr Anil Balchandani, asked District Judge Eddy Tham to order the items listed in the charge to be returned to her.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Gabriel Lim said he would sort this out “offline” with the lawyer.

Mr Balchandani also asked for Ms Parti’s information to be removed from the criminal registry.

The district judge rejected this application, saying that she can take action if these charges are subsequently held against her.

After the hearing, a spokesman for the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics told reporters that Ms Parti will return to Indonesia after resolving administrative matters.

Ms Parti has been staying at the shelter run by the migrant workers group since she returned to Singapore.

In March last year, Ms Parti was found guilty on four counts of theft and sentenced to jail for two years and two months.

Last Friday, High Court judge Chan Seng Onn allowed her appeal. In a 100-page judgment, he found the trial judge's decision to convict her was unsafe.

The reasons included how the evidence was handled by the family members before they were photographed by the police five weeks later, and that two police statements were taken from the Indonesian without an interpreter.

The High Court judge also found that there was improper motive on the part of Mr Liew and his son Karl in making a police report against Ms Parti.

The Attorney-General's Chambers, the police and the Ministry of Manpower are now looking into the case.
 

po2wq

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dat burger dunno wat 2 say ... refused 2 comment ...

he oredi said evryting 2 polis ... watz mor 4 him 2 say? ...
 
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