Fadley Faisal

The Intermediate Court yesterday sentenced an Indonesian maid to six months’ imprisonment, for abusing her employer’s two-year-old son.

Judge Pengiran Hajah Norismayani binti Pengiran Haji Ismail on considering the sentence for Saniasa, 31, said that it should be deserving of the act committed and appropriate in the interests of justice and reflect society’s abhorrence towards the act.

“Children especially, require the need to feel safe, protected and secure in their own homes, whether under the care of their parents or others entrusted to care for them,” she said.

Saniasa had earlier pleaded for leniency as the sole breadwinner for her unemployed husband and parents back in Indonesia.

Deputy Public Prosector Pengiran Hajah Nor ‘Azmeena binti Pengiran Haji Mohiddin’s facts of the case stated that Saniasa had been working as a maid at a household in Gadong, since April 19.

At 12.30pm on August 3, the defendant was tucking the child into bed when she began punching his right arm and slapping his face repeatedly.

The boy cried “Mahu tidur” (I want to sleep), after being slapped and punched by the defendant.

The incident was caught on CCTV, and on seeing the footage, the child’s parents immediately lodged a police report.

The defendant was arrested the same day and brought to the police station for investigation, where she admitted to her wrongdoing.