Hong Kong woman who abused Indonesian maid Erwiana says she can’t understand or afford HK$490,000 legal bill
Law Wan-tung, 44, claims Legal Aid Department turned down her application for assistance because of political pressure
The employer who was jailed six years for the abuse of Erwiana Sulistyaningsih and another Indonesian maid has accused the Legal Aid Department of turning down her application for aid because of political pressure.
Law Wan-tung, 44, also argued at the High Court’s hearing on costs that the legal service should have spent the money on granting her application, instead of hiring expensive lawyers to contest her case.
This came after the Court of First Instance last month quashed Law’s permission to challenge the department’s refusal to grant her assistance in appealing against her conviction and sentence.
The legal costs involved were more than HK$490,000.
READ MORE: Hong Kong woman jailed for abusing Indonesian maid Erwiana admits life behind bars is ‘hell’ and still insists she was framed
Law said she could not understand how it could have cost so much and complained that she could not understand the English bill that was sent to her on Tuesday.
“Does Legal Aid have to appoint a lawyer this expensive to handle a leave application?” she said.
“I think this fee is enough for me to hire a private lawyer to appeal against my criminal conviction.”
Law also said she had no money to foot the bill as nearly HK$1 million in damages is being sought in the civil proceedings against her.
“They’re simply picking on me,” she continued. “I think it’s political pressure that made Legal Aid turn down my application.”
READ MORE: Ex-Hong Kong employer of abused Indonesian maid Erwiana can seek review of legal aid ruling
But judge Madam Justice Queeny Au-Yeung Kwai-yue reminded her that the ability to pay is different from the obligation to pay, and ruled that Law was to pay HK$200,000 in legal costs.
Law can still apply for legal aid before an appeal court judge.
The mother of two was convicted of 18 of 20 charges relating to the assault and criminal intimidation of Erwiana and another maid, Tutik Lestari Ningsih.
The District Court earlier heard she twisted a metal tube from a vacuum cleaner in Erwiana’s month, causing cuts to her lips, and punched her so hard that her incisor teeth were fractured.