13 year jail sentence for maid who killed employer's mum in law

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SINGAPORE: A 25-year-old domestic helper was on Monday (Jul 27) sentenced to 13 years’ jail for killing her employer’s elderly mother-in-law.

Than Than Win stabbed Madam Yong Wan Lan, 87, with a pair of scissors while the older woman was watching television in her son’s bedroom on Mar 4, 2014.

Madam Yong sustained 21 stab wounds on her chest, abdomen and limbs, and several bruises and lacerations. She died at the scene. Madam Yong lived with her son and daughter-in-law, both 56, and granddaughter, 17.

At about 5.20pm on Mar 4 last year, police were called to Springdale Condominium at 47 Hindhede Walk, after security guards saw a woman trying to use a saw to cut her neck. When police arrived at the scene, they found Than Than Win with superficial lacerations on her neck.

Investigations revealed that Than Than Win, a Myanmar national, stayed and worked for a family residing in the condominium. She led police to the condominium unit, where they found Madam Yong’s body.

According to Than Than Win, Madam Yong had scolded her on the morning of the incident. She went about her chores, but she got increasingly angry with Madam Yong in the afternoon.

Than Than Win retrieved a pair of scissors from the kitchen, went into the bedroom in which Madam Yong was in, and attacked her.

The accused then left the apartment without locking the door or gate, and wandered around the compound of the condominium. She retrieved a saw from a parked truck and attempted to cut her neck with it. A worker saw her and alerted the security guards.

DEPRESSIVE DISORDER

A psychiatric assessment on Than Than Win showed that she suffered from depressive disorder with psychotic symptoms, but that she was not of unsound mind when she committed the offence.

Than Than Win admitted that she had deliberately stabbed the deceased, but the murder charge was reduced to that of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, taking into account her condition.

Than Than Win’s father, interviewed in April last year, told investigators that their family had a history of mental disorder, and that her maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother had suffered from psychotic disorder.

The accused began exhibiting symptoms of a mental disorder when she was about 10 years old, according to her father. She began behaving strangely after the death of an uncle, he said.

A day before the murder took place, Than Than Win was heard crying loudly in the kitchen. When Madam Yong’s daughter-in-law asked her what had happened, she said that her brother had died. But Than Than Win’s brother was alive and healthy, said her father.

The court also heard on Monday that Than Than Win had not indicated to her employer that her relationship with Madam Yong, who was often alone at home with her, had soured.

Than Than Win alleged a history of prolonged scolding from Madam Yong, but the prosecution rejected this, citing a lack of evidence.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Isaac Chan called the killing “vicious” and “motivated by revenge”, but added that it would be a “challenge for the court to sentence her”, because while she suffers from a mental illness, it is “not so serious as to render her completely incapable” of appreciating her actions.

DPP Chan also told the court that the victim was “drenched in blood” and “riddled with stab wounds” when discovered by police.

Justice Chan Seng Onn questioned how a foreigner with a severe mental illness had been allowed to work in Singapore, and called the stabbing “vicious and merciless”. In his judgement, he noted that “considerable force was used” in the attack, with the deepest wound measuring 11cm.

Than Than Win’s defence lawyers told the court that “she now has some insight into her condition” and is currently in remission after being on anti-depressive and anti-psychotic medication.

Her family, who were present in court, is supportive of her and able and willing to ensure that she continues her medication upon her repatriation to Myanmar after serving her sentence, her lawyers told the court.

For culpable homicide not amounting to murder, Than Than Win could have been jailed for up to 20 years or for life, and she could also have received a fine.


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