Specialist believes injuries were inflicted

Bandar Seri Begawan - Injuries found on the maid suggests that they were not due to a fall but were inflicted, according to a specialist pathologist's findings as he gave his testimony in the ongoing trial of human trafficking and abuse charges against Chiew Wee Tat and Teo Pin Pin.

The prosecution's examination of the witness Dr PU Telesinghe, the specialist pathologist at the Pathologist Department .of RIPAS Hospital for 22 years, has suggested in court that he believes the injuries would not have been suffered from a fall, for example from a staircase.

Based on his findings, he believes that the injuries were inflicted.

Dr Telesinghe in his medical report has stated that the victim suffered from 54 different injuries.

They were contusions or bruises all over the body and head with different time suggestions of inflictions.

The court heard that the bruises were inflicted on different times as the colours varied at the time of examination.

Some were blue and black suggesting fresh bruises that were three to five days old, while the greenish yellow bruises are suggestive of a week old.

Meanwhile, abrasions or grazes were also found on the body with marks suggestive of different time inflictions.

Dr Telesinghe suggested that a fall would have inflicted bruises on one side of the body and abrasions would vary from this case's injuries.

An old burn scar was also found on the victim during examination and this was informed by the victim herself that it was from a cooking accident.

The bruises were thought to be as a result of blows of blunt force probably with a club around two to three inches in diameter.

Some of the bruises were suggested to be results of tight hand grips or assault by means of direct blow of a blunt force like a club.

Some of the abrasions or grazes were suggestive of pointed metal scraping or from fingernails.

The next mention of the case is March 18, 2013 with Ibu Rohmah of the IndoneSian Embassy giving evidence in court.

Dr Telesinghe's evidence will also be continued later.

Brunei purple Identity Card holder Chiew Wee Tat and Brunei green Identity Cars holder Teo Pin Pin, allegedly recruited and received a 37-year-old Indonesian woman to exploit through forced labour and servitude by means of force, physical abuse and deception against the victim sometime between November 2009 and March 14, 2011 at a residential flat.

Husband Chiew Wee Tat is also said to have voluntarily caused hurt to the victim who was under his employment by slapping the victim's face and ears, kicking her legs, stomach, waist and her head, punching her stomach, head, buttocks and waist at the same residence between November 2010 and March 14, 2011.

Wife Teo Pin Pin also allegedly assaulted the victim by hitting her buttocks and head using a plastic clothes hanger, hitting her body using a mop, hitting her all over her body using a wooden rolling pin at the same date and place.

Teo then allegedly used criminal force on the victim by using a wooden rolling pin to poke the victim's private parts, with the knowledge that the act will likely outrage the modesty of the victim at the same date and place.

The defendants are released on bail of $10,000 or two local sureties each, with their passports impounded and for them to report once in two weeks at the Women and Child Abuse Investigation Unit.

The prosecution earlier indicated intending to call 16 witnesses while defence has about four witnesses.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Pg Hjh Hana Molina Pg Hj Mohammad and Sharon Yea prosecuted the case.

Lawyer Ahmad Basuni of Abrahams Davidson and Company represented Chiew while Teo has hired Philip Fong of Harry Elias Partnership.

Justice Dato Paduka Steven Chong presided over the trial.