Woman tortures maid to death

JAKARTA (JP): A maid was tortured to death by her employer Monday night in a house on Jl. Garden, Kebon Jeruk district, West Jakarta.

West Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Andi Chaeruddin said yesterday the employer, MUT, beat, Srini, 33, to death with a broom stick.

"MUT ordered the maid to clean her clothes, but she was not satisfied with the job. She got angry and beat the victim's face and hands," Andi said.

MUT, 35, reported the death to police after she realized she had killed her maid. She told police her maid died after falling in the bathroom, he said.

After receiving the report, Andi sent police to the house and found Srini's body lying on the bathroom floor.

The police questioned MUT's other maids, Yanti and Ina, he said. "The maids said that Srini died because she was severely beaten by MUT."

A police source said MUT was arrested in 1992 for killing her maid. On that occasion MUT phoned police saying her maid had committed suicide by drinking pesticide.

Police found the maid had been beaten to death.

MUT, a doctor's wife, was released because a psychiatric examination found she was insane. (jun)