Housewife charged with maid abuse

SINGAPORE - A housewife from India was yesterday charged with using a hot iron to hurt the legs of her domestic worker. Nidhi Sinha, 31, a Singapore permanent resident, also allegedly poured hot water over the head of Indonesian maid Mustainah Munari, 26.

These were among six charges of maid abuse she faced in court yesterday.

She is accused of carrying out the abuse at her Hillview Avenue home between May and August of 2012. The incidents with the iron and hot water allegedly took place in August that year.

In the same month, she also allegedly used an aluminium prong for hanging clothes to hit the maid's knee and back.

Sinha is also accused of slapping the maid multiple times. On one occasion, she allegedly pulled the maid's hair and banged her head repeatedly against a wall.

On another occasion, she is said to have hit the woman's head with a showerhead until it broke.

The maid had worked for her for six months.

A police prosecutor requested a week to consult the Attorney- General's Chambers.

Sinha's lawyer, Ms Diana Ngiam, asked for the case to be adjourned for a criminal case discovery conference.

Sinha is out on $15,000 bail and her passport has been impounded.

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for June 9.

If convicted of voluntarily causing hurt, she could be jailed for up to three years and/or fined up to $7,500.

For using a heated substance, the maximum penalty is 101/2 years' jail and a fine.

This article was published on May 16 in The Straits Times.

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