Employing domestic workers in most countries such as Singapore maintains live-in arrangements for these workers because of contract terms and requirements.
However, this set-up also has disadvantages as it has benefits to both the worker and the employer. And while we understand that any kind of work requires a certain amount of trust from both ends – the employer and the worker, either is still prone to slip into some kind of abuse, depending on the circumstances on hand.
Maid Jailed for 8 Weeks for Stealing S$1,000 Notes from Employer
In line with this, a maid who found a key to a locked wardrobe discovered several S$1,000 notes which belonged to her employer’s family, as shared in a report by Yahoo! News Singapore.
The accused, known as Sumini, was able to get a hand on several cash notes and remitted them to her husband in Indonesia, as per the report.
However, when Sumini heard that the family has found out about the missing cash after she stole another note, she immediately disposed of it in the central rubbish chute hoping that they would not find out that it was her.
On Thursday (March 7), Sumini was sentenced to 8 weeks in jail after pleading guilty to two out of four charges of theft. However, the remaining counts were still considered in her sentencing by the state judge.
For the theft she has committed which amounted to S$4,000, Sumini voluntarily handed over S$650 from her personal savings, and agreed to forfeit one month salary of worth S$670 as partial restitution.
For indwelling theft in Singapore, the convicted could be sentenced up to seven years’ imprisonment on top of a hefty fine.
In this case, money can always be earned but it’s the trust that people give to you as an individual which is considered priceless. And while a crime can be settled in court, no amount can ever fix a broken relationship which is based on trust.