Woman slaps maid for forgetting to wipe utensils dry, gets convicted

SINGAPORE — A man and his wife physically abused their Indonesian domestic helper over six months, committing acts such as slapping her.

Wang Cheng Xiang, 47, and Jin Yan, 36, carried out the offences against Ms Lutin, 31, between July 2017 and January 2018.

Their offences came to light in January 2018 after Ms Lutin, who had several facial injuries, went to a playground and bumped into another maid.

This second maid snapped pictures of Ms Lutin’s injuries and posted them on Facebook. A third maid alerted the authorities after she saw the post.

Wang, a director at engineering design and consultancy firm Oceantek Marine & Offshore, was convicted of two assault charges involving Ms Lutin, who goes by only one name.

Chinese national Jin, a housewife, was convicted of offences including four counts of assault.

The couple have an eight-year-old son and a seven-year-old daughter.

Ms Lutin, who was employed by Wang, started working at the couple’s home at the Adria condominium in Novena on June 24, 2017.

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The acts of abuse started soon after.

In her submissions, Deputy Public Prosecutor Gail Wong said that in July that year, Jin slapped Ms Lutin as the maid had forgotten to wipe some utensils dry. Jin then called the maid’s agent, Ms Hong Wan Yi.

The DPP told District Judge Prem Raj: “Lutin spoke to Wan Yi and told her she wished to... change her employer because Jin had started to use her hand on her.

“However, Wan Yi informed Lutin... that she would tell Jin that she may scold Lutin, but not physically assault her.”

After that, Ms Lutin passed the phone back to Jin, who spoke to Ms Hong.

Ms Lutin then followed Ms Hong’s suggestion to continue working for the household.

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This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.