Celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee's maid faces additional theft charge

Indonesian maid Namih Nurlaela is accused of stealing a Hermes bag from her employer, Mr Lee Eng Tat(right), better known as celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee. PHOTOS: ADDY LEE, LIANHE WANBAO

SINGAPORE - The Indonesian maid of celebrity hairstylist Addy Lee was charged in court on Friday (June 23) with a second count of theft.

According to this latest charge, Namih Nurlaela, 40, allegedly stole $2,490 worth of items from the chairman and founder of Monsoon Group Holdings, who is known as Mr Lee Eng Tat in court papers.

They include a pair of shoes worth $600, six plates valued at $280 and an Alessi cooking pot and kettle worth $450 each. She is accused of stealing them in May.

On Friday, the court heard that she may have more theft charges against her.

Namih was first hauled to court last week and charged with one count of theft.

Her earlier charge stated that in February, she allegedly stole from Mr Lee, 46, items including a brown Hermes Kelly bag and a black Birkin bag worth $12,000 each, and five T-shirts of unknown value.

She is accused of committing both counts of theft in his three-bedroom Oceanfront apartment in Sentosa Cove.

One of the Hermes bags allegedly stolen by Namih Nurlaela from her employer Addy Lee. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO

Namih, who was still in remand on Friday morning, had been offered bail of $10,000. Her bailor must be a Singaporean.

Last week, the Chinese evening newspapers reported that the Indonesian had worked for Mr Lee for 14 years.

Interviewed by Shin Min Daily News and Lianhe Wanbao, the hairstylist had said that he was about to go to work on June 11 when he found his two designer bags missing.

He alerted the police after this.

A media report in 2015 said that Mr Lee spends most of his time abroad on business trips and lives in his 1,700 sq ft apartment only three months in a year.

Namih, who is unrepresented, will be back in court on June 30.

If convicted, she can be jailed up to seven years and fined for each count of theft.

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