I could not control my hands from stabbing, says maid accused of murdering employer, leaving almost 100 wounds
SINGAPORE: A maid on trial for murdering her employer, leaving almost 100 knife wounds on her body, told a court on Thursday (Oct 8) that she could not control her hands, "which kept stabbing".
Indonesia national Daryati, 28, said she did not intend to kill 59-year-old Madam Seow Kim Choo and had wanted only to threaten her, slashing her face until Daryati could get the keys to a safe where her passport was kept.
She is accused of murdering her employer by stabbing and slashing her face, scalp and neck multiple times on the night of Jun 7, 2016. A second charge of attempting to murder Mdm Seow's husband, Mr Ong Thiam Soon, who broke into the toilet when he heard the commotion, was stood down for the time being.
Daryati was originally convicted of the murder charge, but later had the conviction set aside after she chose to pursue the defence of diminished responsibility, and the case went back to trial.
For a defence of diminished responsibility to stand, the accused must be suffering from a specific abnormality of mind that substantially impaired her mental responsibility for causing the death.
She took the stand on Thursday and was questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Wong Kok Weng, who put it to her that she had full knowledge and control of her acts when stabbing Mdm Seow.
Responding through an interpreter, Daryati repeatedly maintained that she did not intend to kill her employer in the Telok Kurau house four years ago. She said she was in a "very angry state" and could not control her hands.
Daryati said she had wanted only to retrieve her passport, which was in a locked safe only Mdm Seow and Mr Ong had the keys to, and return home. She had been working for the family for about two months at the time.
However, the prosecutor pointed out that Daryati had said in her police statement that she would kill Mdm Seow if she did not return her her passport.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...-hands-13229028
SINGAPORE: A maid on trial for murdering her employer, leaving almost 100 knife wounds on her body, told a court on Thursday (Oct 8) that she could not control her hands, "which kept stabbing".
Indonesia national Daryati, 28, said she did not intend to kill 59-year-old Madam Seow Kim Choo and had wanted only to threaten her, slashing her face until Daryati could get the keys to a safe where her passport was kept.
She is accused of murdering her employer by stabbing and slashing her face, scalp and neck multiple times on the night of Jun 7, 2016. A second charge of attempting to murder Mdm Seow's husband, Mr Ong Thiam Soon, who broke into the toilet when he heard the commotion, was stood down for the time being.
Daryati was originally convicted of the murder charge, but later had the conviction set aside after she chose to pursue the defence of diminished responsibility, and the case went back to trial.
For a defence of diminished responsibility to stand, the accused must be suffering from a specific abnormality of mind that substantially impaired her mental responsibility for causing the death.
She took the stand on Thursday and was questioned by Deputy Public Prosecutor Wong Kok Weng, who put it to her that she had full knowledge and control of her acts when stabbing Mdm Seow.
Responding through an interpreter, Daryati repeatedly maintained that she did not intend to kill her employer in the Telok Kurau house four years ago. She said she was in a "very angry state" and could not control her hands.
Daryati said she had wanted only to retrieve her passport, which was in a locked safe only Mdm Seow and Mr Ong had the keys to, and return home. She had been working for the family for about two months at the time.
However, the prosecutor pointed out that Daryati had said in her police statement that she would kill Mdm Seow if she did not return her her passport.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singap...-hands-13229028
