KUALA LUMPUR: A female clerk pleaded not guilty at the Magistrate’s Court here to hurting an Indonesian maid using an iron and hot water since March last year.

Loke Chee Hui, 43, who works with an employment agency, was accused to have committed the offence in a house at Jalan Hujan Emas 3, Taman OUG here between March 3, 2022 and April 23, this year.

She was charged under Section 324 of the Penal Code, which provides for a jail term of up to 10 years or a fine or whipping or any two of the punishment, upon conviction.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Nadia Elena Jamaluddin Akbal did not offer any bail as the offence is non-bailable.

However, lawyer Varghese Onny, representing the accused, pleaded for a lower bail on the grounds that the accused is a mother of four, aged between two and 15.

Magistrate Atiqah Mohamed@Mohamad Saim allowed a bail of RM6,000 with one surety and fixed June 6 for mention.

In the Sessions Court, Loke and her husband, Lum Kah Wai, 44, also claimed trial for trafficking the same maid for the purpose of forced labour exploitation at the same time and date.

The charge was framed under Section 12 of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants (ATIPSOM) 2007, which carries a maximum of 15 years of jail and a fine.

Judge Azura Alwi set bail at RM10,000 and one surety for each of them. They were also ordered to surrender their passport to the court and report to the nearest police station every two months until the disposal of the case.

The court fixed June 6 for mention.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Wan Ahmad Hijrah Wan Abdullah prosecuted, while lawyer Varghese represented both the accused. - Bernama