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| Mey Sichan |
A couple was arrested, charged and convicted after their female maid died of starvation, according to court proceedings in Malaysia.
Now, the couple has been sentenced to 24 years in jail by the High Court for starving their maid of Cambodia to death.
The woman weighed only 50 pounds when she was found by police.
Soh Chew Tong, 44, and his wife Chin Chui Ling, 41, were found guilty of causing homicide not amounting to murder. The couple owned a local hardware store.
Ling, who had appeared calm when Justice Zamani Abdul Rahim read the sentence immediately began to cry after leaving the courtroom, while her husband, Tong, remained stiff.
Ling cried and hugged her family members including her 3-year-old daughter.
In his opinion, Judge Zamani said he was convinced that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
"After listening to the prosecution and the defense, I think the defendant is guilty of failure to act in providing adequate assistance to the health of the maid," he said in his judgment.
Justice Zamani used the opportunity to warn Malaysians to care for their maids.
"We have to be a loving society. No need to abuse and torture our maids. I have a maid myself. If there is any problem, you can send the maid away. Do not abuse them," the judge said, adding that these cases create a bad image for the country.
The couple was accused of causing the death of Mey Sichan, 24, at their family home.
“Starving a maid to death is extremely cruel. If you don’t have the money to feed a made then don’t hire one. I am glad that the couple received the 24 year prison sentence, I hope such an incident never happens again,” Julie Reyes, 32, of Bangor, Maine told YourJewishNews.com after learning about the maid who was staved to death.
"This should be a lesson to others not to abuse of domestic workers," a government official said.