S’pore Woman Jailed For Hitting Domestic Helper; Kicks & Bites 81YO Father For Trying To Stop Her

In the past few years, there has been a worrying increase in the number of incidents of domestic helper abuse, and the details are usually very graphic.

Such individuals deserve every ounce of punishment they have received under the law.

Surely, these individuals are incredibly heartless and cruel to think that doing something like that to another human being is permissible.

Unrestrained Rage

Sometimes when people get really angry, they get violent with their pillows or maybe the wall.

A few take it out on their domestic helpers and family members.

The troubles began when Bibianna Lim Poh Suan, 47, started to suspect that their domestic helper, Ms Theresa Elevencione Gamuzaran, had made “false allegations” and “lied” to Lim’s parents.

On 28 February last year, Lim confronted Gamuzaran in the kitchen. Lim then repeatedly slapped the maid’s left ear, causing her to lose partial hearing in her ear temporarily.

This incident was witnessed and testified to by Lim’s mother in court.

Upon hearing the commotion, Lim’s father exited the bedroom to stumble upon the violent incident. He saw Gamuzaran holding her ear in pain, which led him to infer that Lim had injured her.

When Lim’s father tried to intervene to stop the brutal assault, in her fury, Lim kicked her 81-year-old father in the stomach and bit his left forearm. She then tossed Gamuzaran’s phone into the washing machine, rendering it unusable.

Lim then left after assaulting the two individuals. Lim’s brother, Winston, tried to stop her. Winston stood in front of her car, trying to stop her. Lim then accelerated, forcing Winston to jump on the bonnet before rolling off to avoid serious injury.

According to Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yihong, “He (Winston) suspected that he was hit in the leg, when he felt pain on his knee subsequently while driving to Changi General Hospital (CGH).”

Wow.

Sentencing

Lim is sentenced to 12 weeks’ jail and a fine of $800. She is also disqualified from driving all classes of vehicles for a year.

District Judge Salina Ishak has convicted her of two assault charges, as well as one count each of mischief and causing hurt by performing a rash act.

Lim’s defence lawyer, Tan Hee Joek has told the court that his client intends to appeal against the judge’s decisions.

Singaporeans, many among us, unfortunately, have a great sense of entitlement. From employers protesting and being unwilling to give our domestic helpers a day off before 2013, to events of domestic abuse happening frequently.

Sitting upon ivory towers has clouded our ability to see domestic helpers as human too, and I hope the entitled ones among us would come down from their precocious bubble.