Beauty boutique manager jailed for 5 years for exploitation of Indonesian women
PUTRAJAYA: A 51-year-old woman was ordered by the Court of Appeal to serve a five-year prison sentence today after failing to set aside her conviction for the offense of trafficking an Indonesian domestic worker for the purpose of forced labor exploitation.
A three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal consisting of Datuk Seri Kamaludin Md Said, Datuk Nordin Hassan and Datuk Hashim Hamzah rejected M. Mullaimalar’s appeal against her conviction and sentence.
Mullaimalar, who had previously obtained a stay of execution of her prison sentence and was released on bail of RM40,000 with one surety pending her appeal, was ordered by the court to serve the prison sentence, starting today.
The court upheld the decision of the Sessions Court on 16 Dec 2020 which found Mullaimalar guilty and sentenced her to five years in prison and a fine of RM10,000 or, if she fails to pay the fine, an additional six months in prison. The court also ordered the accused to pay RM4,500 in compensation to the victim.
On August 25 last year, the High Court rejected his appeal.
Judge Nordin, who delivered the unanimous decision, said that based on the evidence, the prosecution had succeeded in proving its case against Mullaimalar.
He also said there was no reason for the court to interfere with the decision of the Sessions Court in sentencing Mullaimalar to five years imprisonment, and the sentence was also upheld by the High Court.
Deputy Public Prosecutor How May Ling asked the court to increase the prison term to between seven and 10 years.
Mullaimalar, a beauty boutique manager and wedding planner, was found guilty on 16 Dec 2020 by the Sessions Court of the offense of trafficking Darsem Warsa, 45, for the purpose of exploiting forced labor by using force and other forms of coercion.
She committed the offense at a house in Taman Desa Cemerlang, Ulu Tiram, Johor Bahru, Johor between March and 26 Nov 2017.
Based on the evidence, the victim who worked as an amah with Mullaimalar was exploited by her employer, using force and threatening him to do work. The victim also said she was beaten and fed only once a day.
In her defence, Mullaimalar, represented by lawyers N. Rhubini and K. Bharathi from the National Legal Aid Foundation, denied that she had forced the victim to do any work or abused her.
source – BERNAMA
