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Chris Lau

Phila Siu

The former employer of Indonesian domestic worker Erwiana Sulistyaningsih was yesterday convicted of a raft of assault charges at the District Court after a judge found the maid was too "simple" to have framed the woman who hired her.
Erwiana told the Post in an earlier interview she would forgive her former boss Law Wan-tung and her family.
"But since Hong Kong has a justice system, justice must be upheld," she said.
'I can forgive Law Wan-tung but justice must be upheld,' says Indonesian maid Erwiana Sulistyaningsih

At a press conference yesterday, Erwiana said she hoped that Law would receive the maximum sentence.
District Court Judge Amanda Woodcock found the employer guilty of 18 of the 20 charges, after rejecting Law's lawyer Graham Harris SC's suggestion Erwiana set up her employer.
"I am sure she was not framing the defendant because she had a hidden financial agenda or a personal vendetta," she told the court packed with journalists, maids' rights advocates and Law's family - including her husband, son and daughter.
Woodcock convicted Law, 44, of six counts of assault and criminal intimidation on Erwiana and two counts on another Indonesian maid, Tutik Lestari Ningsih.

Law was acquitted of two charges concerning a third helper, Nurhasanah, but was also found guilty of 10 charges of failing to pay Erwiana and give her time off.
Erwiana's father, Rohmad Saputro, told the Post at his home in the Indonesian city of Ngawi: "I hope [Law] will learn a lesson and change her attitude."
Woodcock ruled that Erwiana was by no means "a worldly person", citing examples, such as the helper failing to open the front door with an electronic lock at Law's flat.
The court previously heard Law, who claimed to have a rich husband with strong ties to Indonesia, threatened to kill Erwiana and her parents. "That she believed [this] shows she is a timid, simple person," Woodcock said.

Law's lawyer previously said had the helper really been the victim of the claims - that she was beaten constantly, knocked out on one occasion and had a metal tube from a vacuum cleaner inserted into her mouth - she would had fled or told someone.
Woodcock said Erwiana became too subservient to speak out while Law's confidence grew.
Law avoided taking Erwiana to the doctor when her dermatitis got worse, fearing the abuse would be exposed, the judge found. She also said the medical evidence was in Erwiana's favour.

She said she found all three maids reliable, though the prosecution failed to prove Nurhasanah's case beyond reasonable doubt. Woodcock also found Erwiana's nose was not broken as she claimed, so convicted Law of a lesser charge of assault occasioning bodily harm instead of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
She ordered Law to pay back Erwiana HK$28,800 and sought two reports to study Law's mental state before adjourning the case until February 27 for mitigation and sentencing. Law was remanded in custody.
Outside court, Eric Chung Chi-ming, police chief inspector of Kwun Tong district, said this case served as a deterrent against similar abuses.
Lawyer Melville Boase said he expected to lodge a civil law suit for Erwiana against Law in days.



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Erwiana Sulistyaningsih

Erwiana wishes maximum sentence on former employer following guilty verdict

Erwiana and her supporters celebrate outside court. Photo: Sam Tsang

Erwiana with supporters outside the District Court in Wan Chai on Tuesday morning. Photo: Sam Tsang

Erwiana told the court that she was hit so often, she could not recall the details. Photo: Sam Tsang

Law Wan-tung was found guilty of 18 charges. Photo: Edward Wong

Erwiana's supporters campaign outside the court. Photo: Nora Tam

Law Wan-tung was remanded in custody. Photo: Sam Tsang

Hong Kong must do more to protect domestic helpers

Indonesian domestic worker Erwiana Sulistyaningsih (centre) with supporters outside Wan Chai District Court as her former employer Law Wan-tung was convicted of a raft of assault charges. Photo: Sam Tsang

Erwiana’s father recalls emotional reunion with daughter after Hong Kong nightmare

Rohmad Saputro, Erwiana's father, at his chilli farmer in Ngawi, Indonesia. Photo: Sam Tsang

The family home of Erwiana, where she was brought right after she had been sent home, battered and bruised, by her employer. Photo: Sam Tsang

Erwiana (second from top left) in a school photo. Her father said she was at the top of her class in high school. Photo: Sam Tsang

Family photos in Erwiana's home. Photo: Sam Tsang

Clockwise from top left: Erwiana's father Rohmad Saputro, mother Suratmi, brother Putut Kuncoro, nephew Ibm and grandmother Tami. Photo: Sam Tsang

Erwiana's grandmother, Tami, who has a heart ailment, was initially kept from the reality of what happened to her granddaughter. Photo: Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Trial judge says 'timid, simple' Indonesian domestic helper who was beaten constantly could not have framed her former employer


The former employer of Indonesian domestic worker Erwiana Sulistyaningsih was convicted of a raft of assault charges at the District Court this morning.
