Update | Erwiana’s boss faces seven charges over alleged abuse of maids

A 44-year-old woman appeared in court on Wednesday accused of abusing Indonesia maid Erwiana Sulistyaningsih and two other domestic helpers.

Wearing a black down jacket, Law Wan-tung, 44, appeared in Kwun Tong Court about two hours after police formally laid charges against her.

Law, who claims to be a housewife, is facing a total of seven charges. These included one count of wounding, two of common assault and four of criminal intimidation.

Two of the charges allege that Law caused grievous bodily harm to Erwiana and threatened her and her family between July 5 last year and January 9, 2014. The alleged offences took place at her home in Tseung Kwan O.

Three other charges allege that Law assaulted and injured a second maid, Tutik Lestari Ningsih, as well as threatening to injure Ningsih and her family between April 19, 2010 and March 30, 2011. The alleged offence took place at Law’s former home in Mong Kok.

The remaining two charges allege that Law assaulted a third helper, Nurhasanah, and threatened to injure her and her family at the Mong Kok flat in December 2011.

A magistrate released Law on a HK$500,000 cash bail and a HK$500,000 surety until the next hearing scheduled for March 25. The magistrate said it was possible the case would be transferred to a higher court because of its seriousness.