Girl, 12, dead at HDB block

[Red 4]

Maid only 16, not 24


Dec 24, 2010

DISABLED GIRL'S ALLEGED KILLER
Maid only 16, not 24

By Elena Chong

-- PHOTO: ST FILE PHOTO

THE Indonesian maid who allegedly killed her employer's 12-year-old disabled daughter in Hougang is only 16.

An amended charge stating Nurhayati's actual age, was tendered in court on Friday. The age of the maid, who goes by one name, was originally given as 24.

Nurhayati, who is from Indramayu in West Java, has been charged with murder by causing Linda Lee Yee Lin's death at Block 573 Hougang Street 51 on Nov 24. Under the Criminal Procedure Code, no sentence of death will be imposed against anyone under 18 years.

Instead, the offender will be detained during the President's pleasure.

This means that anyone under 18 and convicted of a capital charge will not hang but be detained for an indefinite period.

Nurhayati - who has been examined by a psychiatrist - was remanded another week for psychiatric assessment. Her case will be mentioned again on Dec 31.

Outside the courtroom, her lawyer Mohamed Muzammil Mohamed told reporters that he and officials from the Indonesian Embassy visited Nurhayati's family in the village last week and ascertained her age from school records and interviewing the family.

 

[Nene.]

Maid likely to escape gallows if found guilty


Maid likely to escape gallows if found guilty
By Saiful Bahari | Posted: 24 December 2010 1749 hrs
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SINGAPORE : The Indonesian maid who allegedly caused the death of her employer's 12-year-old disabled daughter is likely to escape the gallows if found guilty.

This is because the maid's actual age is only 16 years and not 24 as was originally tendered in court.

The charge against Nurhayati was amended in court on Friday.

Nurhayati is accused of causing the death of Linda Lee Yee Lin at Block 573 Hougang Street 51 on November 24 this year.

The maid's lawyer, Mohamed Muzammil Mohamed, told MediaCorp that he and officials from the Indonesian Embassy visited her family in a West Java village last week.

They managed to confirm her age after looking through school records and interviewing the family.

Mr Mohamed Muzammil said: "I met the mother and her elder brother - they are extremely concerned about her well-being and we had to assure them that she was alright.

"They were also very apprehensive because we were informed that there were people who had in fact threatened them with regards to the age, not to reveal the actual age to us."

Under the Criminal Procedure Code, the death sentence cannot be imposed if the defendant is below the age of 18.

Mr Mohamed Muzammil said Nurhayati will be remanded for another week for child psychiatric assessment.

Her case will be mentioned again on December 31.

- CNA/al