Singapore High Court Acquits Indonesian Maid Accused of Theft by Employer

KOMPAS.com – A Singaporean court has acquitted an Indonesian maid of theft charges three years after she was brought into court on accusations made by her employer, the former chairman of the island city-state's Changi Airport Group.

The court acquittal is vindication for 45-year-old Parti Liyani of East Java, who was reported in 2019 to have stolen luxury items — a Prada bag, a Gerald Genta watch, two units of iPhone 4s, 115 pieces of clothes, kitchenware, and pieces of jewelry — from her employer Liew Mun Leong.

Last September 4, the Singapore High Court acquitted Parti of four counts of stealing.

The migrant worker from Nganjuk Regency worked as a maid for the Liew family in their posh Chancery Lane house in Novena from March 2007 until her boss fired her for alleged theft in October 2016. As she was jobless, she then went home to Indonesia.

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On December 2, 2016, she decided to return to Singapore. Upon arrival at Changi Airport, she was arrested after the authorities were notified of the alleged theft.

When the case was brought to trial in October 2017, Parti told the court that her employer often asked her to clean both house and office of Liew’s son, Karl, who lived separately from his father. 

According to Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower regulations, an employee is legally allowed to work only in a household owned by an employer for which the worker is registered. In Parti's case, she was registered as the employee of Liew Mun Leong, prohibiting her from working for another employer.

Throughout the court proceedings, Parti stayed at a shelter provided by the Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics or HOME. Deputy Director of HOME Sisi Sukiato said Parti is in good health. However, it is still unclear when Parti will return to Indonesia, said Sisi.

A kind, generous soul

To her neighbors, Parti is known for her friendliness and concern for others' welfare.

She first left her hometown in Kebonagung Village in Sawahan District to work abroad in 2007.

From her savings as a migrant worker, Parti managed to buy a 450 square meter house for 100 million rupiahs ($6,700). The house is used by the villagers as a pre-school center and  posyandu or integrated health services post at no cost.

Parti only asked that villagers look after her house and have it cleaned regularly, according to village head Saiul Nizar.

“We were also surprised [upon hearing her legal case]. We pray that Parti Liyani can return home soon after the acquittal in Singapore,” said Saiul Nizar.