Maid who poisoned her boss is jailed
Tuesday November 03 2009
A maid has been jailed for six years for trying to kill her employer by poisoning her coffee and soup.
Nurhayati Ahmad (22) pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the court in the eastern Pahang state of Malaysia.
Her lawyer, Mohamad Fadly Hashim, said the maid -- from the Indonesian island of Lombok -- added herbicide to the drink and food of her employer, Jaharah Daud, in July last year.
She had told him she could no longer stand the scolding after a month of working there.
Mr Hashim said Ms Daud (77) was taken to hospital after drinking the poisoned coffee, but has recovered.
mistreatment
Attempted murder carries a maximum of 10 years in prison, or more if injury is caused.
Some 300,000 Indonesian women are maids in Malaysia.
It is rare for maids to hurt their employers, but they frequently complain of mistreatment, overwork and unpaid salaries.
Meanwhile, a Malaysian sugar-cane seller pleaded not guilty to killing his Indonesian maid, who died after being found beaten and locked in a bathroom.
His trial has been set for January 18. If found guilty of murder, the man faces the death penalty.
hnews@herald.ie
- Jonathan Gray
