Friday, 29 Mar 2024

AGC says further action may be warranted in case where ex-maid was acquitted of stealing from CAG chief

SINGAPORE – The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) will study the High Court judgment by Justice Chan Seng Onn following the acquittal of a former domestic worker of stealing from Changi Airport Group chairman Liew Mun Leong and his family.

This is to assess what further action, if any, ought to be taken in this case, the AGC said in a statement on Sunday (Sept 6).

In arriving at his decision, one of Justice Chan’s findings was that there was reason to believe that the Liew family took the pre-emptive step of terminating the maid’s employment suddenly and without giving her sufficient time to pack, in the hope that she would not use the time to make a complaint to the Ministry of Manpower about her illegal deployment to work for Mr Liew’s son Karl, it said.

He found that when she had threatened to complain to the MOM after her sudden termination, the senior Mr Liew and Mr Karl Liew lodged the police report to prevent her return to Singapore to lodge a complaint with the ministry.

He also disbelieved the evidence of several members of the Liew family on various issues, it added.

The AGC will study the judgment to assess what further action, if any, ought to be taken in this case, in the light of Justice Chan’s comments, said the AGC.

“His findings do raise questions which warrant further investigations.”

Ms Parti Liyani, 46, was accused of stealing over $34,000 worth of items from the Liew family while working for them.

After a trial, she was found guilty on four counts of theft and sentenced to two years and two months’ jail in March last year.

She later appealed to the High Court against her conviction and sentence, and was acquitted last Friday.

Ms Parti’s lawyer Anil Balchandani earlier said that he would be making an application for compensation from the Liew family that will be tied largely to four years of her pay, which was $600 a month.

“Whatever the amount we get, I think we will be necessarily grateful for,” he said.

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