Rest in Peace
Woman accused of torturing Ethiopian maid to death for being lazy
Alys Francis, ninemsn
12:28pm November 13, 2012
- A woman from Abu Dhabi allegedly tortured her maid to death, whipping her with electrical cord, tying her up and pouring boiling water on her because she thought she was being lazy, a court has heard.
The Emirati woman, who has not been named, pleaded not guilty to assault leading to death after her maid was found dead in the family's bathroom, the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court heard last week.
The court heard the woman's two children saw her beating the Ethiopian maid daily after she moved in with them during Ramadan, which began in July 20 this year.
The woman admitted whipping the maid with wire 10 days before she died but said she was only trying to punish her for being lazy.
"I only beat her up, I just wanted her to do the housework properly – I didn't mean to hurt or kill her."
The woman was arrested after her son reported the maid's death to police.
A forensic report found she died from wounds sustained during an assault and a doctor told the court she had been tortured over time.
The woman's daughter told prosecutors she witnessed the beatings daily and cited one incident where her mother allegedly "poured boiling water on her (the maid's) body and threw pepper in her eyes".
The woman is also accused of trying to hide the evidence, asking her daughter to put on gloves to change the maid's bloody clothes after she died.
The case has been adjourned to December 31 and the woman remains in custody.
Author: Alys Francis. Approving editor: Nick Pearson.
Sources: 7 Days in Dubai, The National.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2012/1 ... being-lazy
http://news.msn.co.nz/worldnews/8563731 ... d-to-death
