Singapore—Parti Liyani, the Indonesian domestic worker whose conviction for theft was overturned last month, has decided to pursue the case she filed seeking disciplinary proceedings against two prosecutors from the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC).
Ms Parti took to court on Sept 23 to seek disciplinary proceedings against the prosecutors in her case. However, on Oct 1, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon was told by Ms Parti’s lawyer, Mr Anil Balchandani, that she was considering dropping the case as she would like to return to Indonesia as soon as possible. Ms Parti has been pursuing her case for the past four years and has not been able to go home during the entire time.
Mr Balchandani asked for an adjournment of the matter for two weeks as his client reached a final decision, which was granted by CJ Menon.
On Thursday, Oct 15, Ms Parti’s spokesperson from the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (HOME), the Non-Government Organization that aided Ms Parti in the four years of her legal concerns, said that the helper she “has resolved to proceed” with the case.
Ms Parti, 46, had been found guilty of four counts of theft last year and sentenced to 26 months in jail by District Judge Olivia Low for allegedly stealing more than S$34,000 worth of goods from the family of Mr Liew Mun Leong, for whom she worked from 2007 to 2016. Mr Liew retired last month as Chairman of the Changi Airport Group.
The helper appealed against conviction, with Mr Balchandani submitting that she had been framed by her employers in order to prevent her from filing a complaint of illegal deployment, as she had also been asked to work at the house and office of Mr Liew’s son.
On Sept 4, High Court Judge Chan Seng Onn released a ruling that acquitted Ms Parti. The judge noted that Mr Liew and his son, Mr Karl Liew, had an “improper motive” in their accusations that Ms Parti had stolen from them since she had told them she would file a complaint about having to work in Mr Karl Liew’s house and office.
On Oct 1, the CJ said that it would be possible that Ms Parti may need to have a different lawyer, should Mr Balchandani be required to be a witness in the legal proceedings.
State Counsel Kristy Tan, who represents the AGC, said that Mr Tan Wee Hao and Ms Tan Yanying, the two Deputy Public Prosecutors who had been on Ms Parti’s case, will have no objection should the CJ refer the matter for investigation.
According to the AGC, the two officers “welcome the chance to present a full and transparent account of what transpired during the trial” and “will cooperate fully in any inquiry.”
According to a report in the straitstimes.com, the police and AGC’s reviews are expected to end in two to three weeks. —/TISG
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