Married couple charged with trafficking Indonesian maid

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 -- A married couple was charged in separate Sessions Courts here today with a total of six charges for trafficking and causing hurt on an Indonesian maid last year.

However, scrap metal deal Lim Tuan Ann, 42, and his wife, Lim Siew Lan, 41, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

In the court before Judge Suzana Hussin, Tuan Ann was charged with trafficking in the 26-year-old maid for exploitation as forced labour, while Siew Lan was charged with committing a similar offence by using force at their house in Taman Batu, Sentul here, on Nov 24 last year.

Tuan Ann was charged under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Act (ATIPSOM) 2007 which carries an imprisonment for up to 15 years and is liable to a fine, if found guilty, while the charge against his wife was framed under  Section 13 of the same law which provides and imprisonment for up to 20 years and liable to fine, if convicted.

Siew Lan was also charged in the courts before judges Mahyon Taib, Izralizam Sanusi and Emilia Kaswati Mohamad Khalid, respectively with four counts of voluntarily causing grievous hurt to the Indonesian woman, including splashing her with hot water, at the same place between Aug 1 and Nov 13 last year.

The charges were framed under Section 325 and Section 326 of the Penal Code, which provide an imprisonment for up to seven years and 20 years, respectively, and liable to fine or whipping, upon conviction.

The court allowed Tuan Ann bail of RM12,000 with one surety, while bail for his wife was set at RM48,000 with two sureties on all five charges.

They were also ordered to surrender their passports to the court and to report themselves at the neares police station once a month pending disposal of the case.

All the courts set Feb 19 for mention.

Deputy public prosecutors Nadia Zulkefli and  Mohamad Sharizzat Amadan prosecuted, while the couple was represented by lawyer Sivaraj Retinasekharan.

-- BERNAMA