TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An Indonesian housekeeper, Erna Susilawati (39), stole her employer's jewelry and money in Singapore. The total damage surpassed S$50,000 and Erna was sentenced to 1.5 years in prison after pleading guilty on Wednesday, July 26, 2023.

The Indonesian migrant worker tried to pawn the stolen jewelry with the assistance of another housekeeper. She initially denied the crime, but a police officer discovered the pawn tickets she hid and the stolen jewelry stored in a lunch bag.

Erna worked for a family in the MacPherson area and received S$900 with days off and 10 days of annual leave during the Chinese New Year. Erna was trusted by her employer to go out on her own to run errands and had no complaints about working for the family.

Erna stole from her 70 years old in-law of her employer from January 2021 to June 2021. She took the money and jewelry from a hidden compartment under a wardrobe in the victim's bedroom. After taking the money and jewelry, Erna would employ the assistant of a fellow housekeeper to pawn the stolen jewelry and send the money to Indonesia. On June 14, 2021, the victim became aware of the stolen money and jewelry. After a few days of searching, the victim reported it to the police.

The prosecutor asked for 18 to 20 months of jail time after considering the value of the stolen items, the multiple occasion of offending motivated by greed, and an abuse of trust. "We highlight the fact that the accused was paid well and had no shortage of benefits in the form of annual leaves," said the prosecutor. The prosecutor also believed that Erna did not show remorse and tried to hide the stolen jewelry.

Erna asked for lighter sentences as she had divorced her husband and needed to support her children financially. "I wish for my case to be concluded as soon as possible because since 2019 I haven't seen my children," she said, crying.

However, the prosecutor said no restitution has been made and an amount of money has been remitted to Indonesia while "There is little to suggest that her children in Indonesia are suffering from a lack of financial support," the prosecutor concluded.

CHANNEL NEWS ASIA | DEWI RINA CAHYANI

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