Housemaid killer gets two years

The Tangerang District Court sentenced on Wednesday Yani Vera Simorangkir, 41, to two years in jail for killing teenage housemaid Mulyati with the help of her 18-year-old son Fernando Oslan Siahaan.

The two buried the body in the backyard of their house in Bumi Serpong Damai housing estate, Tangerang.

Presiding judge Suprapto deem the defendant guilty of violating Article 351 of the Criminal Code on torture. The sentence was more lenient that the prosecutor's demand of four years.

The panel of judges considered Simorangkir's apology to the victim's father as well as the compensation she paid the family as mitigating circumstances.

Prosecutors AA Hutagaol and Ismail initially charged Simorangkir with articles 338, 354, 55 and 181 of the Criminal Code on conspiracy to commit murder.

Simorangkir beat up Mulyati on Jan. 7 after accusing her of stealing a cake belonging to her son. Mulyati denied the accusation, which angered Simorangkir, who along with Siahaan repeatedly hit and kicked the victim in the stomach and punched her in the face.

The maid died later that night and they buried on Jan. 8 in the backyard. Later, Simorangkir instructed her driver Fachrulrozi to dig up the body and dispose of the it.

The driver reported the matter to the police instead.

Siahaan was sentenced in March by the same court to 10 months in jail. -- JP