SINGAPORE, Sept 7 — The findings of a High Court judge, who recently acquitted a foreign domestic worker accused of theft by her former employer Liew Mun Leong, raise questions which warrant further investigations, said the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
In a media statement yesterday, the AGC said it will study the judgement of Justice Chan Seng Onn to assess whether there is any further action that should be taken in light of Justice Chan’s comments about Parti Liyani’s case.
The Ministry of Manpower also said in a statement on the same day that it is consulting with the AGC to see whether further action needs to be taken in light of Justice Chan’s comments.
It had earlier issued a warning to Liew’s wife and an advisory to his son in May 2018, for making Parti work illegally at other premises, including the son’s home and office.
The police also said yesterday that they noted the High Court’s judgement on the case, and that several observations about the police’s investigations have been raised. The police said they are looking into them.
Parti, 46, was sentenced to 26 months' jail in March 2019 after she was found guilty in a district court of stealing S$34,000 (RM103,400) worth of items from her former employer, who is chairman of Changi Airport Group, and his family.
The sentence was overturned by Justice Chan on Friday who ruled that the district court had failed to consider several points, including the credibility of the testimony of Liew’s son, Karl Liew.
He had said that the senior Liew, who is also chairman of infrastructure consultancy Surbana Jurong, and his son had an “improper motive” in accusing her of theft back in 2016.
She had threatened to file a complaint to the Manpower Ministry against her former employer for forcing her to work illegally at Karl Liew’s home and office.
“There is reason to believe that the Liew family, upon realising her unhappiness, took the pre-emptive first step to terminate without giving her sufficient time to pack and complain to MOM,” said Justice Chan on Friday when delivering his judgement.
He also said that the Liew’s filed the police report to prevent Parti’s return to Singapore to lodge her complaint with MOM after she had made the threat.
AGC in its statement noted Justice Chan’s comments, including the fact that he disbelieved the evidence of several members of the Liew family on various issues.
Police report filed against maid’s lawyer
During a virtual press conference on Friday, Parti’s lawyer, Mr Anil Balchandan, revealed that he and his assistant have had police reports filed against them by the Liew family, accusing them of harassment, while they worked on Parti’s case.
The lawyer said this was because he and his assistant had contacted the family’s driver and Liew’s wife — individuals who were not witnesses for the prosecution — for interviews.
Balchandani said the accusations hung over him and his assistant for over a year before the police investigation concluded that they did not commit any offence.
TODAY has sent the police a query regarding the investigations into Balchandani.
Adding to the difficulties was how he received court-related documents very late. For example, photographs of items Parti was accused of stealing were only given to him on the first day of the trial, according to the lawyer.
Given that she was accused of stealing 144 items, Balchandani said it was an “enormous task” having to analyse the photographs, as well as a 21-second video that was submitted as evidence.
Parti still faces a fifth charge of fraudulently possessing other alleged stolen items owned by unidentified individuals and her lawyer said they are ready for it.
Speaking through an interpreter on Friday, Parti said she never thought of pleading guilty over the last four years as she sought to prove her innocence.
She also said she forgives her former employer for accusing her of stealing from his family, but added that she hopes he would not do the same to other workers. — TODAY
