Woman who scalded maid, pressed hot iron on her to testify about 'auditory hallucinations'
The entrance of the Supreme Court in Singapore.
SINGAPORE: The Chief Justice on Monday (Sep 30) gave a woman convicted of abusing a maid the choice to testify regarding auditory hallucinations she supposedly had at the time of the abuse, which she said told her to commit the offences.
Anita Damu, also known as Shazana Abdullah, was sentenced to 31 months' jail on Christmas Eve last year for physically abusing Indonesian maid Siti Khodijah, 27, over more than a year.
She was also ordered to compensate the domestic helper S$8,000.
Anita had slapped her maid, pinched her with a pair of pliers, splashed hot water on her back and leg, and pressed a hot iron on her wrists.
The maid was left with welts on her face, burn marks on her hands and developed scars and keloids, and worries that she cannot get married as a result of her physical deformities.
Both Anita and the prosecution appealed against the sentence on Monday, with Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon setting aside the lower court judge's findings that Anita had suffered from auditory hallucinations.
Anita had said in mitigation during the state court hearings that she suffered from major depressive disorder with psychotic features and had heard voices that asked her to commit the offences.
The defence had provided evidence of two psychiatrists who diagnosed Anita with the disorder, but Anita did not testify herself about hearing voices.
CJ Menon said it had not been made clear to Anita that her failure to testify about her hallucinations would render the psychiatrists' findings on her condition "practically worthless".
Thus, it would be fair to allow her to make the decision whether or not to testify about her own condition, said the judge.
He adjourned the matter after directing both prosecution and defence to decide what to do next.
Anita intends to take the stand and give evidence on her self-reported experience of having auditory hallucinations, the court heard.
Both sides are to write in to the court after deciding which parts of the statement of facts Anita had previously admitted to will remain.
They also have to suggest how Anita's testimony will be heard - whether before the Chief Justice or back in the state courts, and if so, whether a different judge is preferred to preside over proceedings.
