KUALA LUMPUR: Two women were ordered by the Ampang Sessions Court here today to enter their defence on charges of trafficking an Indonesian woman and employing the woman as a maid without a valid permit.
Judge Wan Mohd Norisham Wan Yaakob issued the order to Ong Su Ping Serene, 56, who is a consultant, and a businesswoman, Sang Yoke Leng, 53, after finding that the prosecution had succeeded in establishing a prima facie case against them at the end of the prosecution case.
When delivering the judgment, the judge said there was evidence showing the victim had been exploited by the two women, who were also violent against the victim.
“The court found that the victim agreed to work as a maid, but not to be used as a ‘punching bag’,“ he said.
According to Wan Mohd Norisham, Ong had taken the victim to her house to work as a maid and the victim, in her testimony, stated that she was forced to eat rice with chillies, do ‘sitting and standing’ exercises while naked, forbidden to bathe with the bathroom door shut, eat from a dog bowl and was assaulted and threatened.
“The second accused (Sang) saw the violent act by the first accused, but did not stop it, instead she hit the victim,“ he said, adding that the maid was not taken to a clinic for treatment other than being given salt water to gargle.
Wan Mohd Norisham said the victim, in her testimony, also stated that she was also locked up and threatened by the two accused, as well as forbidden to meet and talk to anyone.
He also cited testimony by a neighbour, who is the fifth prosecution witness, of hearing someone crying at night until early morning before getting a note from the victim stating that she was depressed and threatened. The maid was rescued on Dec 20, 2014.
“SP5 stated that she was shocked on seeing victim’s swollen face,” said the judge, adding that testimony by an expert witness stated that the injuries on the victim were the result of her being beaten and kicked.
The judge said the victim had no work permit and it was an offence to employ a foreigner with no work permit.
