Employer jailed seven weeks for framing maid
She planted a gold pendant into her luggage
Upset with her maid for wanting to return to India, she decided to frame her.
Preschool teacher Desai Asti Amit, 36, who is also an Indian national, planted a gold pendant and a metal prayer cup in Ms Kimei Dangmei's luggage.
When these items were uncovered during an inspection on Aug 22, last year, she accused Ms Kimei, 23, of theft and the police were notified.
But Desai's conscience was pricked and she admitted later that she had lied.
Yesterday, she was jailed seven weeks after pleading guilty to one count of giving false information to a police officer.
Ms Kimei started working for Desai's family at Block 445 Tampines Street 42 on April 10, last year.
Desai was unhappy with the maid's performance and purported poor attitude.
Sometime last July, Ms Kimei told her she was homesick and wanted to return home. But Desai and her husband persuaded her to stay.
The following month, the maid packed her bags and again requested to return to India.
Desai got angry with her and refused to let her leave.
The maid's luggage was then placed in Desai's bedroom.
On Aug 20, last year, Desai returned home from work and found that Ms Kimei had accompanied her son to a nearby playground.
She then planted the pendant and cup in the maid's luggage.
Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) James Low said Desai had planned for Ms Kimei to be caught red-handed for theft.
Mr Low added: "The accused was angry with Kimei and wanted to get even with her."
Ms Kimei ran away the next day and brought with her only a small bag containing her wallet, mobile phone and passport.
She sought refuge in a welfare organisation and was taken to her agency at Block 11, Sin Ming Road, near Upper Thomson Road on Aug 22.
Both the welfare organisation and the agency were not named in court papers.
Desai and her husband arrived at the agency at around 4pm that day and the maid's luggage was opened for an inspection.
The pendant fell out during the check and the prayer cup was also uncovered soon afterwards.
Desai immediately told everyone the items were hers and her husband then called the police.
When officers arrived, she lied to Special Constabulary Corporal Dilawar Mahmood Khan, 21, claiming that Ms Kimei had stolen from her.
She also told him she suspected the maid had also stolen a diamond pendant.
Ms Kimei was arrested and remanded in a lockup at Bedok Police Divisional Headquarters for a day before she was released on police bail.
Court papers did not reveal the identity of her bailor.
CONFESSED
Two weeks later, when she was recording a statement, Desai came clean and admitted she had framed the maid.
DPP Low urged District Judge Adam Nakhoda to jail Desai for between two and three months, stressing that Ms Kimei was a vulnerable victim.
Desai's lawyer, Mr Louis Joseph, asked for his client to either be fined or jailed for a week.
Mr Joseph said after Ms Kimei's arrest on Aug 22, Desai and her husband went to Tanglin Police Division to see if the report could be withdrawn, but they were unable to do so.
Ms Kimei flew home to India last year.
For giving false information to a police officer, Desai could have been jailed up to a year and fined up to $5,000.
The accused was angry with Kimei and wanted to get even with her.- Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) James Low
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