Couple jailed for six years for robbing Indonesian maid

A 30-year-old Indonesian woman and her 29-year-old Nepalese boyfriend were both sentenced to six years in jail at the High Court in Hong Kong on Tuesday for robbing an Indonesian maid.

The court heard that the maid, Nur Haytai, had become friends with Jajuli Ai Lisnawati, a fellow domestic worker, in 2010, the Oriental Daily reported. Haytai finished her contract in 2011 but overstayed her visa in Hong Kong as she had lodged a torture claim.

Lisnawati, who lived in an apartment set up by her employer in Kowloon’s Yau Ma Tei, agreed to let Haytai stay with her in 2014. Last year, Haytai borrowed HK$1,200 (US$153) from Lisnawati, then took her boyfriend Gauchan Sagar to the apartment and asked to borrow another HK$10,000.

Lisnawati refused and asked her not to bring her boyfriend to her place. On April 7, Hayati told Lisnawati she wanted to return the money she borrowed. Hayati and Sagar went to the apartment and Sagar smothered Lisnawati with a towel sprayed with pesticide. Lisnawati felt faint and the man then punched her.

When Lisnawati lost consciousness, the pair stole her gold necklace and a gold bracelet and sold it for HK$18,000. When Lisnawati came to, she called police and the two were arrested.

The pair pleaded guilty at the High Court on Tuesday. Judge Maggie Poon said the man had attacked the victim with force, while the woman was a torture claimant but tried to harm her compatriot.

As both defendants pleaded guilty, they were given a one-third reduction from their sentence.