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Headlines

The Ecosoc News Monitor

03 July 2008

Maid jailed for knife threat

The Straits Times, July 3, 2008

By Elena Chong, Courts Correspondent

AN INDONESIAN maid was jailed for two months on Thursday for threatening to kill her employer's sister.

Zuniyati Zainuri, 36, admitted to uttering the words 'kill you, kill you'' while holding a knife, intending to cause alarm to Ms Sharifah Zarina, 29, at a flat in Ubi Avenue 1 on May 29.

Her employer had earlier asked her to pack her bags after saying that her work permit had been cancelled.

After changing her clothes, Zuniyati took something from the kitchen cabinet.

When Ms Sharifah asked to see what it was, the maid turned aggressive and uttered: 'kill you, kill you''. She took the kitchen knife from the kitchen and brandished it at the victim.

Zuniyati threatened to kill the victim and then jump from the kitchen window.

Her employer saw this and managed to wrestle the knife from her. He called the police.

Zuniyati, a widow with four children, could have been jailed for up to two years and fined.