Woman who told two maids to slap a third helper gets jail, fine
Unhappy with the performance of her two domestic helpers, a woman ordered one of them to slap the other's face 10 times.
Filipina Annabel Timbol Reyes, 26, obeyed Kan Choi Yit out of fear and repeatedly slapped Indonesian Ratna Lestari, 25, on Aug 20, 2018.
On another occasion, Kan ordered her daughter-in-law's Filipino helper, Ms Planta Renalyn Manaday, 32, to slap Ms Ratna twice after scolding the pair for being late in washing the family car.
Kan was sentenced yesterday to five weeks' jail and a $1,500 fine. The Singaporean had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of instigating one maid to assault another. She also admitted to one count of instigating the three maids to pour water on one another, with the intention to cause annoyance to them.
The trio stopped working for Kan, now 63, and her daughter-in-law in October 2018.
Kan, who is self-employed, hired Ms Ratna in October 2017 and Ms Reyes in August 2018. They worked at Kan's house in Jalan Paras in Kembangan.
Kan's daughter-in-law hired Ms Manaday in October 2017.
EXCESS RICE
The court heard that on Aug 20, 2018, Kan checked her rice cooker and noticed there was more rice than required for her grandchildren.
She questioned her two maids and Ms Ratna admitted she had not taught Ms Reyes how to use a measuring cup to measure the amount of rice before cooking.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Joseph Gwee had said: "The accused was angry with Annabel and Ratna as she felt the excess rice would go to waste... Hence, the accused, intending for hurt to be caused to Ratna, instructed Annabel to slap Ratna on her face 10 times."
The following month, Kan became angry with the three maids when she found out the hot water in some flasks had not been refilled.
The DPP said: "The accused then instructed Planta, Annabel and Ratna to pour room temperature water on each other, from head to toe."
The three women did as they were told. They later alerted a Ministry of Manpower officer about Kan's offences.
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