PUTRAJAYA, Nov 19 (Bernama) -- The Court of Appeal here today gave a stern warning to employers in the country not to abuse their maids, or face serious punishment by the law, like the chicken rice seller who had his sentence enhanced to 32 years jail and 18 strokes of the rotan for raping his Indonesian maid.
Seow Eng Aik's wife, Tan Seok Hoon, who abetted his husband by holding the maid's hands while her husband raped her and stuffed chilli and carrot into the maid's private part, was jailed for 6 years.
"Any potential employer who wishes to act the way you have acted will meet the same fate," said Justice Datuk Suriyadi Halim Omar who sat with Appeal Court judges Datuk Wan Adnan Muhamad and Datuk Ahmad Maarop.
The three judges not only unanimously dismissed the couple's appeal but also doubled Seow's punishment from 16 years imprisonment and 9 strokes to 32 years and 18 strokes for three counts of raping his maid.
"The reason (for the enhancement) is that this is a sadistic rape on somebody who should be protected. Instead, with the assistance of your wife, you raped her to satisfy your lust.
"The poor girl came all the way from Indonesian to earn an income but instead she met with terror and sexual abuse," Suriyadi said
Seow, 41, was convicted of three counts of raping the 19-year-old maid from Blora, Semarang, Indonesia, at his house in Tingkat Paya Terubong 3, Paya Terubong, Penang, in February, July and August 2004.
Tan, 36, was found guilty of abetting her husband in the July incident.
On June 23, 2005, Seow was sentenced to 12 years jail and three strokes of the rotan for each offence, the jail terms to run concurrently, while Tan was jailed six years.
The High Court, on March 31, 2006, dismissed their appeals against conviction and sentence and enhanced Seow's sentence to 16 years.
Seow was arrested on Oct 18, 2004 after his maid, who had fled the house a month earlier, lodged a report at the Kuala Lumpur police headquarters.
She had sought shelter at a Muslim orphanage in Paya Terubong for several weeks until Penang Tenaganita representatives took her to the Indonesian embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
Seow and Tan were represented by counsel R.S.N.Rayer and K.H.Chua, while deputy public prosecutor V.Shoba acted for the prosecution.
-- BERNAMA
