Jail for maid abuser who reformatted home CCTV memory cards

A housewife repeatedly tormented her Indonesian domestic helper in 2020 by acts such as kicking the woman, slapping her face until she staggered backwards and yanking her hair.

Tan Siew Mei, 42, also verbally abused Ms Wahyati, 43, with vulgar language and on one occasion, told the latter: “You are rubbish. You are not human. Remember, you are always rubbish.”

Unable to tolerate any more abuse, Ms Wahyati, who goes by only one name, shouted for help from the service yard at Tan’s condominium unit in Bedok Reservoir View. A neighbour who heard her cries alerted the police.

When officers arrived at the unit, one of them removed a memory card from a CCTV camera in the kitchen.

Tan then tried to cover up her tracks by remotely reformatting the memory cards of five remaining cameras in the unit.

On Oct 11, the Malaysian, who is a Singapore permanent resident, was sentenced to six months and three weeks’ jail and a fine of $4,000.

She had pleaded guilty to three counts of assault, as well as one count each of harassment and obstructing the course of justice. Seventeen other charges were considered during sentencing.

Court documents did not disclose when Ms Wahyati started working for Tan. However, Tan first abused Ms Wahyati some time during Chinese New Year in early 2020.

Ms Wahyati told investigators that Tan had used both her hands to push her in the chest, causing the maid to fall.

When Ms Wahyati stood up, Tan pushed her body against a door. After this incident, Tan abused the maid multiple times in May and June 2020.

For instance, around 1pm on June 12 that year, Ms Wahyati tried to speak to Tan about her duties while the latter was blow-drying her hair.

The helper then went to the kitchen to prepare milk for Tan’s daughter.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sunil Nair said: “Unknown to the victim, the accused was angry with her for trying to talk to her while she was blow-drying her hair.

“(Tan) went to the kitchen and abruptly yanked the victim’s ponytail from behind with force... The accused also started shouting at the victim.”

Tan also tried slapping the victim’s face using her left hand. Ms Wahyati blocked it with her right arm and the slap landed on it instead.

Tan then scolded the maid and said: “You see what will happen later.”

Still unhappy with the maid the next day, Tan rained blows on Ms Wahyati until the maid shouted: “Enough!”

Instead of stopping, Tan kicked the maid who exclaimed that she wanted to go home.

Tan responded by yelling: “You are rubbish. You are not human. Remember, you are always rubbish... I want to keep you, I want to wash you, I want to scrub you, I want to kick you and I want to punch you.”

Tan continued attacking the maid and even used an umbrella to strike her thrice.

Around 2.30am on June 15, 2020, Ms Wahyati was washing clothes in a bathroom when Tan decided to check on her.

Tan flew into a rage as she felt that “dirty shower water” could have entered some pails containing fabric. She reprimanded Ms Wahyati and slapped her face before hitting her in the back.

Later that morning, Tan became angry when the maid did not leave the kitchen to serve breakfast.

Shortly before 9am, Ms Wahyati was washing some dishes when Tan hit her face and kicked her thigh.

A CCTV camera inside the unit recorded Ms Wahyati’s ordeal on all three days.

Distressed, Ms Wahyati shouted for help from the service yard that day, and two police officers arrived at the unit around 9.30am.

DPP Nair said: “Hearing that somebody had arrived, the accused pushed the victim into her bedroom in the service yard and went inside with her.”

The two officers then entered the unit and Tan lied to them, claiming that the injuries on Ms Wahyati were self-inflicted.

Tan initally refused to allow one of the officers to speak to the victim alone. Tan finally relented when pressed and reformatted the memory cards.

Ms Wahyati was later taken to Changi General Hospital, where she was found to have multiple bruises.

On Oct 11, defence lawyer James Ow Yong told the court that Tan had been diagnosed with an adjustment disorder, but this condition did not contribute to her offences.

He also said that Tan had made a voluntary compensation of $5,000 to Ms Wahyati.