Abuse, death of Myanmar domestic worker ‘shocking’: Singapore law minister
- K Shanmugam said prosecutors had sought murder charge for Gaiyathiri Murugayan who abused Piang Ngaih Don for nine months until she died
- Expressing ‘shock’ over Gaiyathiri’s behaviour, he said the charge was later brought down to culpable homicide because of the evidence available
“The first charge was intentional murder, for which the death penalty could have been the possible punishment. But, because of the evidence that was available, it was then brought down to culpable homicide,” he told reporters in a video conference on Thursday.
Shanmugam expressed “complete abhorrence” over what happened and said the behaviour of Piang’s employer was “shocking”.
Piang was 24 when she died on July 26, 2016 at her employer’s Bishan flat. She had been working for Gaiyathiri Murugayan’s family for about a year and weighed just 24kg after being deprived of food.
The charges against Gaiyathiri were more serious than those for cases of maid abuse that surface more often before the authorities, Shanmugam said.
“I am sure I speak for many Singaporeans when I express our complete abhorrence for what happened.“In fact, none of these words describe adequately what happened to her … the bestiality of the conduct was shocking.”
In the High Court on Tuesday, Gaiyathiri, 40, pleaded guilty to violently abusing Piang over nine months until she died. She admitted to 28 charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, wrongful restraint, and causing hurt or grievous hurt to Piang. Prosecutors have sought the maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Gaiyathiri’s husband, suspended police staff sergeant Kevin Chelvam, 42, and her mother Prema S Naraynasamy, 61, also face charges related to the abuse. Their cases are before the courts.