3 weeks' jail for punching, slapping maid

An information technology assistant who slapped and punched his maid after she failed to meet his standards was jailed for three weeks yesterday.

Wong Ha Hing, 39, who faced five charges of causing hurt to 34-year-old Filipina Maricel Campos Malbas, pleaded guilty to two counts of maid abuse at his flat in Canberra Road in Sembawang in June last year.

He is out on $5,000 bail and will start his sentence on May 18.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sruthi Boppana said Ms Malbas was employed by Wong's wife, Madam Koay Geok Yen, 42, in September 2013 to do household chores, and to take care of their three young children and Wong's mother.

It was her first job in Singapore and about nine months in, Wong began physically abusing her.

Ms Malbas wrote a note to a neighbouring maid asking for help.

Police received a call on June 20 last year from the neighbouring maid's employer, who had received two notes from Ms Malbas complaining that she had been physically abused and wrongfully confined in the house.

Investigation showed that Wong confronted Ms Malbas after noticing his one-year-old son playing with a bottle of pepper and slapped her in the face for not complying with his instructions to keep the child away from it.

On another occasion, Wong noticed that Ms Malbas had failed to keep the house clean according to his standards and punched her in her head, causing swelling.

Ms Malbas was treated for her injuries and discharged with medication.

Three other charges of slapping her were considered during his sentencing.

Wong could have been jailed for up to 31/2 years and/or fined up to $7,500 on each charge.

elena@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 1, 2015.
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