SINGAPORE: A teenage Indonesian has been sentenced
to 10 years' jail for strangling her elderly
employer.
Vitria Depsi Wahyuni, 19, could have been put behind
bars for 20 years or given life imprisonment.
She pleaded guilty in February to culpable homicide
in the death of 87-year-old Sng Gek Wah in November 2009 at
Farleigh Avenue.
Vitria committed the crime in the Serangoon Gardens estate just
five days after she started working for Madam Sng.
The accused came to Singapore with a passport that identified her
as Fitriah.
She had lied that she was 24 years old when she was only 16.
On November 25, 2009, Vitria waited for the Mdm Sng to fall asleep
before attempting to smother her with a pillow at about 10pm.
But Mdm Sng woke up, put up a struggle with the maid and fell to
the floor.
Vitria then tried to silence her by strangling her.
The accused got angry and struck the victim's forehead with a
vase.
Subsequently, Vitria pretended to run out of the house to seek
help.
She managed to hail a taxi.
The driver called the police.
During the police investigations, Vitria told officers that Mdm Sng
fell by herself.
But the police later found that the maid had strangled the elderly
woman with her hands.
Justice Choo Han Teck pointed out that the High Court could put
Vitria away for life, but said the circumstances and mitigating
factors warranted a jail term of not more than 10 years.
The prosecution, which had argued that the offence was premeditated
and described the attack as "brutal and savage", had pressed for a
jail term of 20 years.
But Vitria's lawyer Mohamed Muzammil Mohamed argued that a jail
term of between eight and 10 years was appropriate as his client
was young and immature at the time of the offence.
Vitria is said to have an IQ of 63, which is below average.
The defence lawyer said she could not cope with the frequent
nagging and scolding by Mdm Sng, who was said to have often called
the maid 'stupid'.
- CNA/ck