Cop, wife jailed for putting maid in ‘living hell’ for three years

 

A forensic expert testified to finding more than 40 injuries and 61 scars on the victim’s head, neck, chest, back, and hands.

PETALING JAYA: 

A policeman was jailed for 12 years and his wife for 10 years today for putting their Indonesian maid “in a living hell for three years”.

S Vijayan Rao, 40, and his wife, K Rineshini Naidu, 37, were also ordered to pay the maid RM80,000 in compensation within a month, or be jailed for six months, Bernama reported.

Sessions court judge Zulqarnain Hassan, who found the couple guilty, said “it was clear that the maid was in a living hell for three years”. He said the defence had failed to raise reasonable doubt about the prosecution case.

Zulqarnain said photographs submitted as evidence clearly showed that the victim had been injured, while forensic expert Dr Siew Sheue Feng of Hospital Kuala Lumpur had testified to finding more than 40 injuries and 61 scars on the victim’s head, neck, chest, back, and hands.

Zulqarnain said a fitting punishment should be imposed as the crimes took place at a police officer’s house. “A maid is not a doll, nor is she a cheap item. She has feelings, blood flowing through her veins, and a beating heart,” the judge said.

Rineshini was also sentenced to four years’ jail and fined RM5,000, or four months, for causing grievous harm, while Vijayan was sentenced to six months’ jail and fined RM25,000 or four months, for employing the maid without a valid permit. The prison sentences run concurrently.

However, Zulqarnain allowed the couple’s application for a stay of execution pending an appeal to the High Court.

The couple was charged with committing the crime at a house in Taman Industri Bolton, Gombak, between March and August 2022.

Deputy public prosecutor Nurul’Ain Abu Bakar led the prosecution while Vijayan and Rineshini were represented by A Narainasami and Kamarul Zaman Rahman. - FMT