A 37-year-old Myanmar woman who suffers from clinical depression was jailed for 25 months after pleading guilty to voluntarily causing hurt with weapons to her fellow-Myanmar domestic worker. The offences were committed between June and September of 2015.
The accused Chan Mya Aye, who is a Myanmar national with Singapore permanent resident status, hired a domestic worker named Ei Phyu Tun on April 23, 2015, The Straits Times reported.
By the end of June, Chan’s offences against Ei started, with slaps to her face.
The court heard that the employer went on to hit the maid using metal poles, a duster and a metal hanger.
On September 21, Chan became enraged when she saw the victim apply ointment to freshly inflicted wounds, and used a metal pole to give Ei another round of beatings.
This was the final straw for the victim, who later that day took an opportunity to flee to the office of the Ministry of Manpower.
The maid was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for an examination, where she was found to have bruises, swellings and cuts on her face, body, legs and arms. Her left cheek was so swollen that she had trouble opening her mouth.
The District Judge sentenced Chan to 25 months’ jail, explaining that though she was aware of the fact that the accused suffered from clinical depression, her condition was not at the most severe end of the scale.
However, given the frequency and intensity of abuse inflicted upon the victim, the judge deemed that a deterrent sentence was applicable.
Read: Myanmar woman pleads guilty to abusing her maid
Whatever kind of mild depression she is suffering from, she has no right to abuse her maid the way she did. Very nasty. Anyway, she will be jailed and will be in extreme regret.