Singapore:
A 31-year-old Singaporean woman of Indian-origin was charged in a court in Singapore for abusing her Indonesian maid by using a hot iron to hurt her legs.
Nidhi Sinha had allegedly poured hot water on the head of her domestic worker, Mustainah Munari (26), reported The Straits Times yesterday.
Sinha faces six charges of maid abuse, including having hit the woman's head with a showerhead until it broke, pulling her hair, banging her head against the wall, beating her with a clothes hanger and slapping.
The maid had worked for Sinha for six months. She was abused at Sinha's home between May and August 2012.
Sinha is out on a SGD 15,000 (USD 11,980) bail and her passport has been impounded.
If convicted of voluntarily causing hurt, Sinha could be jailed for up to three years and/or fine up to SGD 7,500. She also faces a maximum penalty of 10-1/2 years in jail and a fine for using a heated substance.
Sinha's lawyer, Diana Ngiam, yesterday asked for the case to be adjourned for a criminal case discovery conference.
A pre-trial conference is scheduled for June 9.