Indian couple sentenced to jail for abusing maid: Report

Singapore, August 21

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An Indian couple here has been jailed and fined up to 15,000 Singapore dollars after being found guilty of abusing their domestic helper from India, a media report said on Friday.

Farah Tehseen was sentenced to 21 months while her husband Mohammed Tasleem was sentenced to four months of jail for abusing Amandeep Kaur from the very starting day after hiring her in November 2016, The Straits Times reported.

During the initial hearing of the case on June 9, the prosecution said Farah and Tasleem lashed out at Kaur as they saw her as a “poor performer” who “did not meet their standards”.

Farah repeatedly assaulted Kaur in November and December 2016 and also threatened to beat the maid with a stick, the paper reported.

Tasleem punched and kicked the maid on two separate occasions, the court heard.

According to the court documents, Farah also accused the maid of possibly having an affair with her husband.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Houston Johannus said that on one occasion, Kaur climbed out of a living room window and perched herself dangerously on a ledge.

A foreign worker named Mani Manoharan, who was doing some painting works in the estate, later spotted the maid and used a gondola to take her down.

Following her rescue, Kaur was placed in the care of the Good Shepherd Centre, which provides shelter to people such as abused women.

A medical report later stated that she had injuries such as multiple bruises in places including her left arm.

During the trial, Kaur testified that Farah treated her very badly from the outset.

At Friday’s hearing, the court also ordered Farah to pay the helper 4,500 Singapore dollars in compensation while her husband was to pay 1,000 Singapore dollars.

The Deputy Public Prosecutor also informed the Judge Shaiffudin Tasleem tried to cover up their ill deeds to Kaur by offering her money and asking her to tell the court that she got the injuries after falling in the bathroom.

The maid declined the offer, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Peter Keith Fernando pleaded for his clients to be given shorter jail terms and said that they have an autistic son who is “severely disabled”.

Later, the court also heard that the couple plan to appeal against their conviction and sentence and therefore Farah was offered bail of 15,000 Singapore dollars while Tasleem’s bail was set at 8,000 Singapore dollars. PTI