Dubai woman tortures maid with scissors, iron and hot water

Picture used for illustrative purpose only

A housewife systematically tortured her maid on various occasions over a certain period of time and used sharp tools to assault her, the Court of First Instance was told on Sunday.
The 33-year-old Jordanian is accused of pushing scissors in the maid's left ear and causing her hearing loss. The accused also allegedly ironed her body and poured hot water on her.
She denied an aggravated physical assault charge in court. However and as per prosecution records, the housewife admitted in the investigation that she would lock up the maid in her room at night or when she leaves the house with her husband because she did not trust her to be around her children alone and for fear she would abscond.
She also confessed before the investigators that she did not give her salary since June 2015 and up to March this year.
The maid, a 28-year-old Indonesian, said that since she began working for her sponsor's wife about three years ago, the latter would beat her for any mistake.
"I ran away and headed to my country's consulate to report what she was doing to me," the maid said.
The maid complained to the consulate officials that the housewife would use sharp tools like knives, scissors and utensils to hit her.
"She would bang my head against the wall, pull my hair and pour boiling water on my body. I lost the hearing sense in the left ear after the defendant stuck scissors inside it," she said. The maid could not escape to seek help because her employer's wife would lock her up inside her room when she leaves the house.
A Public Relations Officer at the Indonesian consulate said that the maid complained that her sponsor would usually beat her up even if there was no reason.
"She said she had not received her monthly salaries. I took her to hospital for examination and then filed a complaint at Jebel Ali police station," the 49-year-old Indonesian PRO said.
The consulate informed the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs that the maid did not receive her salary for many months and then filed a labour case.
The forensic report showed the maid's ear injury resulted from being hit with scissors. Other marks on her face, head, neck and abdomen showed she was hit with sharp tools like scissors and knife. Burn marks on her back suggest hot liquids were poured on her.
Injury marks on her back, chest, abdomen, arms and thigh indicate that she was burned by ironing. The report confirmed the maid was systematically tortured over a certain period of time while she was deprived of her freedom.
The court adjourned the hearing to November 6.

• Dubai

Marie Nammour

mary@khaleejtimes.com