55-year-old woman in S’pore jailed for assaulting maid in lift, ordered to pay S$5,000 compensation

55-year-old woman handed four-month jail term for assaulting maid

On Wednesday (3 June), a 55-year-old woman was sentenced to four months in jail and ordered to pay S$5,000 in compensation after she forcibly removed her domestic helper’s headscarf and committed multiple assaults on her.

Defendant pulled victim’s headscarf and yanked her hair

The offences occurred on 23 Aug 2024 when Hasnah Hashim and her 32-year-old Indonesian helper returned from the market at around 7.30am.

While using the ground-floor lift, the victim pressed the close-door button as Hasnah was entering.

In response, Hasnah grabbed the helper’s headscarf and pulled it forcefully, yanking her hair and causing bodily pain and humiliation, reports Malay Mail.

Incident recorded and reported to police

Deputy Public Prosecutor Timotheus Koh noted that the headscarf was worn for religious purposes.

The incident was recorded and submitted as evidence, and the victim reported it to the police the same day.

Hasnah also assaulted her maid on separate occasions

Three days earlier, at Hasnah’s HDB flat in Marsiling Lane, the helper was slapped on the face for placing a pack of tofu in the freezer.

This resulted in a 2cm bruise on her upper lip.

In the same month, Hasnah also hit the helper’s forehead with a mobile phone, pinched her thigh, and pulled and twisted her ears on separate occasions.

These acts contributed to the total of five charges.

Hasnah pleaded guilty to two, with the remaining three taken into consideration during sentencing.

Victim lost about S$18,500 in potential earnings over 21 months

The victim remained unemployed from 23 Aug 2024 due to the case.

Her last-drawn salary was S$882, and the prosecution noted she lost about S$18,500 in potential earnings over 21 months.

The court imposed S$5,000 in compensation, including S$1,000 for pain and suffering and S$4,000 for lost salary.

Under Singapore law, voluntarily causing hurt carries up to three years’ imprisonment, a fine of S$5,000, or both.

According to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), employers convicted of abusing a foreign domestic worker will face severe penalties.

On top of that, they and their spouses will be permanently banned from employing another foreign domestic worker.

Also read: Married Bukit Batok man threatens helper with knife after she rejected his love