Singapore: Indian-origin man acquitted in maid abuse case
An Indian-origin man accused of maid abuse in Singapore has walked free after the case was compounded – a process in which an agreement is made with an alleged victim, usually involving a payment or an apology.
Under the law, only certain offences – such as causing hurt and outrage of modesty – can be compounded, according to The Straits Times report on Wednesday, April 23.
On April 16, District Judge Brenda Tan granted Somasanmma M S Velu, 48, a discharge amounting to an acquittal. This means he cannot be charged again over the same offences.
Without revealing the terms of the composition, the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) said: “After considering representations made by his counsel and the facts and circumstances of the case, the prosecution amended (one of his charges and) gave its consent for the matter to be compounded.”
“After the composition was effected, the court granted the accused a discharge amounting to an acquittal,” the Singapore broadsheet quoted the AGC as saying.
On November 22 last year, Somasanmma was charged with two counts of assault involving the helper.
The incident purportedly happened in a Housing Board flat in Bidadari Park Drive at around 5 pm on July 3 that year.
He had been accused of acts including using a phone to hit the woman’s head.
For each count of assaulting a maid, an offender can be jailed for up to six years and fined up to SGD 10,000.
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