By Eman Al Baik

An Emirati housewife, FA, allegedly confined, beat up and starved her maid to death, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.

Prior to the death of KA, Indonesian, a number of complaints were made by previous domestic helpers to police against the 61-year-old woman.

In the years 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013, maids sponsored by FA had complained to police about ill-treatment including beating, confining, non-payment of salaries and not giving enough food.

In June 2013, due to repeated complaints against FA by maids she had sponsored, Dubai Police sent a letter to Dubai Naturalisation and Foreigners Affairs Department recommending ban on FA from sponsoring domestic servants.

Records did not mention whether the victim was on FA’s sponsorship.

However, the victim was working at FA’s house and was found dead there.

On September 16, FA called her sister ZA and asked her to come to her house urgently.

“When I reached her house, she took me to the maid’s room. The maid was lying on the floor and not moving. When I asked my sister about the maid, she told me that she didn’t know what had happened to the maid. I called police to rush maid to the hospital. I called my two brothers also who came along with a lawyer,” testified the sister.

Police and emergency staff arrived 15 minutes later, pronouncing the Indonesian maid dead.

First Lieutenant Abdullah Al Obaidli testified that he saw the maid lying on the floor in full dress with head covered although there was a bed in the room which was tidy and clean.

“When I checked the body, there were bruises on the victim’s arms and neck. When I asked FA about that, she said the maid fell a couple of days ago. FA was very confused and was not willing to answer further questions,” he said.

Crime scene experts reported blood stains in the maid’s room, bathroom and different parts of the house. Test results showed that it was maid’s blood.

All cabinets and drawers in the house and the kitchen including the fridge were also locked.

“When we asked her to open drawers and cabinets, she used to take out a chain from her pocket that contained a big collection of keys. There was rotten food in the fridge, kitchen’s cabinets and in FA’s bedroom,” First Lieutenant Abdullah Al Obaidli testified before the Dubai court.

Police found out during an investigation that a number of assault and ill-treatment complaints were lodged by maids against FA followed by a recommendation from their side to ban FA from sponsoring domestic helpers.

First Lieutenant Obaid Al Ketbi testified that the villa was all fenced with a high barbed wire. When FA was asked about the reason, she claimed that it was meant to prevent the nighbour’s cat from jumping into the yard.

“Upon reviewing previous complaints, we found that one of FA’s previous maids had told police that she used to get food from over the villa’s wall, while another maid ran away by climbing the wall,” he noted.

Forensic reported that the cause of death was starvation and the physical assault expedited its occurrence.

The victim was subject to sever beating as bruises were found on the victim’s body. Some injures were in healing phase, including her back.

Forensic report said little food was found in the victim’s body, which showed that FA had given her little food when she noticed her deteriorating condition. Due to lack of food, deceased had developed stomach ulcer.

The accused denied the charges before the court which will reconvene on March 17.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.