Boss who tortured maid to death hires new lawyer

In a turn of events, a 41-year-old housewife who starved, tortured and ultimately killed her domestic worker from Myanmar has changed lawyers and is making further moves in a bid to avoid life in prison.

Gaiyathiri Murugayan, the wife of a policeman, had pleaded guilty in February this year to 28 charges, the most serious being culpable homicide for which prosecutors had sought the maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The other charges were mostly hurt-related offences for physical abuse she inflicted on 24-year-old Piang Ngaih Don, who weighed a mere 24kg when she died on July 26, 2016, from the final assault.

Gaiyathiri was due to be sentenced yesterday by High Court judge See Kee Oon.

However, her new lawyer, Mr Joseph Chen, said she wanted to submit a further plea for leniency and that he would also ask the prosecution to consider further reducing the culpable homicide charge.

The charge had been reduced from murder as she was assessed to have developed major depressive disorder, which reduced her responsibility for her actions.

Mr Chen said the further mitigation will focus on ''stressors in her feeling an increase in tension due to her worry about the children's health''.

He also said he had been instructed to apply for a gag order on the case. The prosecution said it will respond when the application is made.

The case was adjourned for Mr Chen to file the mitigation plea by May 28.

The case was tentatively fixed to be mentioned on June 22.

Mr Chen told reporters he will be making representations for the culpable homicide charge to be reduced from Section 304(a) to Section 304(b), which carried a maximum jail term of 10 years in 2016.

The ordeal that Ms Piang Ngaih Don suffered in the last month of her life was captured on surveillance cameras that Gaiyathiri and her husband, Kevin Chelvam, had installed in their Bishan flat.

The maid was assaulted almost daily. Surveillance footage showed Gaiyathiri pouring cold water on her, slapping, pushing, punching, kicking and stomping on her.

She was also seen hitting the maid with objects, pulling her by the hair and shaking her violently, burning her with a heated iron and choking her.

The maid's meals often comprised sliced bread soaked in water, cold food straight from the refrigerator or some rice at night.

She was also made to shower with the toilet door open.

In the last 12 days of her life, she was tied to the window grille at night while she slept on the floor.

Chelvam, 42, who was suspended from service on Aug 8, 2016, faces multiple charges in connection with the abuse of Ms Piang Ngaih Don. Gaiyathiri's mother, Prema S. Naraynasamy, 62, who often stayed with the couple in the flat, was also charged in 2016.

Their cases are pending in court.

Ms Piang Ngaih Don began working for the family on May 28, 2015.

Gaiyathiri was unhappy with her and felt she was slow, had poor hygiene practices and ate too much.

The physical abuse started in October 2015.

On the night of July 25, 2016, the maid was assaulted by Gaiyathiri and Prema for being too slow in doing laundry.

Gaiyathiri continued assaulting the maid the next morning and choked her. A few hours later, a doctor pronounced her dead in the flat.

In the wake of the case, the Government reviewed three key areas to ensure better protection for domestic workers.

The Manpower Ministry started a house visit scheme on April 5 to ensure the welfare of maids.