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Hong Kong woman found guilty of abusing Indonesian maid | Hong Kong woman found guilty of abusing Indonesian maid |
(35 minutes later) | |
A Hong Kong woman has been found guilty of abusing an Indonesian maid in a high-profile case of mistreatment. | A Hong Kong woman has been found guilty of abusing an Indonesian maid in a high-profile case of mistreatment. |
Law Wan-tung was accused of causing grievous bodily harm, criminal intimidation and failure to pay wages. | Law Wan-tung was accused of causing grievous bodily harm, criminal intimidation and failure to pay wages. |
The maid, Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, drew global attention last year when she returned to Indonesia and had to be hospitalised. | The maid, Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, drew global attention last year when she returned to Indonesia and had to be hospitalised. |
She testified in court in December that she was abused by Law for several months before she was sent home. | She testified in court in December that she was abused by Law for several months before she was sent home. |
The case drew intense scrutiny in Hong Kong, where a significant number of families rely on domestic helpers. The city's residents employ about 300,000 maids from other parts of Asia. | The case drew intense scrutiny in Hong Kong, where a significant number of families rely on domestic helpers. The city's residents employ about 300,000 maids from other parts of Asia. |
Law was found guilty of 18 out of 20 charges laid against her. The two charges she was not found guilty of related to her treatment of another maid. | |
She is due to be sentenced later this month. | |
Ms Erwiana told AFP news agency after the verdict that she was "very happy". | |
During the trial the court heard that Law beat Ms Erwiana with various objects including a mop and a hanger - at one point knocking her unconscious - and deprived her of proper food. | |
Her defence lawyers had accused Ms Erwiana of being "opportunistic" and argued she sustained her injuries because of her clumsiness. | |
Law denied all the abuse charges laid against her, but admitted to a separate charge of not buying insurance for Ms Erwiana. | |
Photographs of Ms Erwiana in an Indonesian hospital last year caused outrage in her home country, while the case also triggered protests by migrant workers in Hong Kong. | Photographs of Ms Erwiana in an Indonesian hospital last year caused outrage in her home country, while the case also triggered protests by migrant workers in Hong Kong. |
Amnesty International in 2013 published a report alleging that maids were being abused and exploited in Hong Kong, and called on the city's government to resolve the issue. | |
Ms Erwiana was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people last year. | Ms Erwiana was named one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people last year. |