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Woman convicted of maid abuse
By Claire Huang | Posted: 21 February 2012 1755 hrs
SINGAPORE: A 43-year-old housewife has been convicted of threatening her domestic helper at knife point and abusing her.
Norhanita Sulaiman faced five charges but the prosecution proceeded with three.
Two are for voluntarily causing hurt and one is for criminal intimidation.
In March 2010, Norhanita pointed a 12-centimetre blade at the chest of her maid.
Norhanita was angry with her for forgetting to switch off the thermal flask after using it.
The court heard she threatened to kill her helper.
Between the end of May and early June 2010, the victim was ironing clothes in her room in her employer's condominium in Geylang when Norhanita entered the room and scolded her for not ironing the clothes properly.
She snatched the heated iron and placed its tip on the maid's right cheek, leaving a two-centimetre scar.
In June 2010, the maid reprimanded her employer's three-year-old son for climbing up a chair.
The boy started to cry, prompting Norhanita to slap her maid on her left ear till it bled profusely.
To stop the bleeding, Norhanita applied pressure on the wound with a hot towel.
Unable to withstand the physical abuse, the victim ran out of the house on the morning of June 30, 2010.
A police report was made that day.
A doctor who examined her found numerous bruises and scars.
For threatening to kill her helper, Norhanita faces a maximum jail term of seven years, fine, or both.
She can also be jailed up to five years, caned or fined, or any of the two punishments for abusing the maid with an iron.
For slapping her helper, Norhanita could be jailed up to a year, or fined up to S$1,000, or both.
The court will sentence Norhanita on March 20, 2012.
- CNA/wk
