Singapore Tycoon’s Indonesian Housekeeper Found 'Not Guilty' After Being Accused of Theft

"Falsely Accused of Theft"
Acquitted After Appeal... "I Forgive My Employer"

[Image source= Singapore Humanitarian Immigration Economic Organization (HOME)]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Hyun-woo] An Indonesian domestic worker who worked at a wealthy Singaporean's mansion was falsely accused of theft and, after a four-year legal battle, was acquitted. In Singapore, this case has become an issue of social fairness, seen as a typical problem where the wealthy use the judicial system to harass the poor and powerless.

According to the local daily The Straits Times on the 24th, an Indonesian woman named Parti Riyani (46), who was employed as a domestic worker at a wealthy Singaporean's home and was arrested on theft charges, was finally acquitted earlier this month. Parti had worked since 2007 as a domestic worker for Liu Munlong, chairman of the Changi Airport Group, known as a millionaire in Singapore. In 2016, the Liu family suspected her of stealing household items and reported her to the police, leading to her arrest and subsequent legal battles.

During the trial, she maintained her innocence, but in 2019, the District Court sentenced her to 2 years and 2 months in prison. Parti appealed, and ultimately the Court of Appeal, equivalent to the Supreme Court, acquitted her. The appellate court concluded that the Liu family had improper motives for reporting Parti and pointed out issues with the police, prosecution, and lower court judges handling the case. According to the court, the Singapore police did not visit the scene for five weeks after preparing the investigation report and caused problems by providing a Malay interpreter instead of an Indonesian one.

The exact reason why the Liu family falsely accused her is unknown, but Parti stated, "They were angry because I refused to clean the bathroom and declined requests to clean my son's house and office after he moved out in 2016." It is known that she protested these matters as violations of the contract terms. Parti expressed her feelings, saying, "I forgive my employer, but I want to tell other workers not to let this happen to them."

Foreign media such as the BBC reported that this case is widely accepted in Singapore as a typical example of the wealthy's abuse of power, sounding an alarm on social fairness. Following Parti's acquittal and intense criticism, Chairman Liu resigned from Changi Airport and all major organizations and positions.