Police Officer Allegedly Involved In Fatal Myanmar Helper Abuse Case
Last month, the woman who joined her daughter in the fatal abuse of their domestic helper from Myanmar was given three more years in jail on top of her 14-year sentence.
She had asked her son-in-law, a police officer, to remove the CCTV recorder containing footage of the abuse.
On Thursday (20 July), the son-in-law went on trial for his involvement and cover-up of the case.
Police officer suspended after alleged involvement in abuse that caused death of Myanmar helper
According to Channel NewsAsia (CNA), the Singapore Police Force had already suspended Staff Sergeant Kevin Chelvam in light of this case.
He faces four charges in relation to the abuse of 24-year-old Piang Ngaih Don, a helper from Myanmar, that resulted in her untimely demise.
The 44-year-old had allegedly abetted his wife when she deprived the helper of food. She only gave the victim slices of bread soaked in water occasionally.
On top of that, he is facing charges for the removal of evidence and lying to the police.
The prosecution claimed that Chelvam was fully aware of the atrocities happening under his roof and was complicit in the helper’s death even though he was her employer.
Signed employment contract of the deceased
Chelvam lived in the three-bedroom flat in Bishan with his wife Gaiyathiri Murugayan and their two kids.
CNA reported that he signed Ms Piang’s employment contract when she began working for the family in May 2015.
Source: Helping Hands for Migrant Workers, Singapore on Facebook
Among the terms in the contract was a clause that said he was to provide her with at least three proper meals a day.
Even though his wife was Ms Piang’s main supervisor, he would receive regular updates about what was happening at home via WhatsApp.
On top of that, there were six surveillance cameras in the house which he could view anytime to monitor the situation at home.
He also interacted with the helper whenever he was home, said the prosecution.
Police officer reportedly threatened & encouraged starvation of Myanmar helper
The Straits Times (ST) noted that Chelvam’s WhatsApp messages with his wife serve as evidence of their abuse.
They reportedly prove that the suspended cop endorsed the starvation of Ms Piang as a form of punishment.
He had allegedly threatened to deprive her of food as well.
In one message, he allegedly said,
(She) never put the children’s photo at the hall properly again . . . I told her that if one more time she do the same, no food for her the whole day.
Source: Al Jazeera English on YouTube
The prosecution will call upon a forensic pathologist to confirm in court that Ms Piang was malnourished at the time of death.
Tried getting rid of evidence & lied to police about its whereabouts
Following the helper’s passing, Chelvam reportedly tried to interfere with police investigations.
For instance, he supposedly disconnected the surveillance camera and lied about where it was.
Apparently, he told investigators that they had removed the recorder six months prior at the request of a tenant.
The day Ms Piang’s death was uncovered, he pretended to search the house for the recorder. Then, he claimed that he was unable to find it when he returned empty-handed.
Chelvam himself reportedly took part in the abuse in August 2016. Surveillance footage shows him lifting a sitting Ms Piang off the ground by her hair.
He subsequently claimed that he got irritated at Ms Piang as she was falling asleep while eating, reported CNA.
Currently out on S$15,000 bail
Chelvam is currently out on bail, set at S$15,000.
Back in 2021, the court sentenced Chelvam’s wife to 30 years’ jail for the fatal abuse.
On the other hand, Chelvam’s mother-in-law, Prema S Naraynasamy, got 17 years in jail for the abuse and for asking him to remove the evidence.
The trial continues, with both Gaiyathiri and Prema expected to take the stand as prosecution witnesses.
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Featured image adapted from Al-Jazeera English on YouTube and Helping Hands for Migrant Workers, Singapore on Facebook.
