Probe continues into abuse of housemaids despite move to settle amicably

P.C. Naommy and Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police have refused to drop charges against an employer accused of abusing her housemaids, despite efforts made by the victims' families to settle the matter amicably, an officer said on Saturday.

Kebon Jeruk Police Subprecinct detective First Insp. Budi Cahyono, who is leading the investigation, told The Jakarta Post that the employer, identified as Meli, 32, is charged with a violation of Article 351 of the Criminal Code on assault and battery.

If convicted, the suspect will face a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

"Even if the families of the two victims offer to settle the case amicably, our investigation will continue because the case is criminal, a fact which is strengthened by our medical examination of the two," Budi said.

Security guards at the Green Garden housing complex in South Kedoya, West Jakarta, where Meli lives reported the alleged assault to the police. The two 19-year-old women, Lis (short for Aisa), a babysitter and Iin (short for Hindayani), a housemaid were found to be suffering from serious head injuries and were taken to nearby Sumber Waras Hospital. Meli, the mother of three, was taken to the police station for questioning.

Iis and Iin claimed that over the last three months Meli had beaten them on numerous occasions and that their working conditions had been very poor.

They said that their work hours had stretched from 4 a.m. until midnight.

Neighbors told the Post that Meli's previous housemaid had tried to escape by jumping from the roof of the house.

Iin, the babysitter, had been repeatedly hit with a wooden congklak (board game with receptacles often played with nuts or shells as tokens) on Thursday morning. She was transferred to Sukanto Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta in a wheelchair.

Doctors at the hospital told the Post that Iin was in no condition to be interviewed. She is now being cared for at the psychiatric ward as she is reportedly suffering from trauma.

Meli and Iis are currently being held in police custody for questioning.

Kebon Jeruk Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Achmad Alwi told the Post that as Meli has a two-month-old baby, his office is considering letting her go home.

"But we will bring her back to the station if she tries to avoid our investigation," he said.

Meli, who was accompanied by her husband, looked depressed. She refused to comment on the case and could only say, "the media has discredited me."