SOURCE: The Straits Times

THE charge against an Indonesian maid accused of killing her elderly employer was reduced yesterday from murder to culpable homicide.

At a preliminary inquiry, 19-year-old Fitriah, also known as Vitria Depsi Wahyuni, was committed to stand trial for killing Madam Sng Gek Wah, 87, at her Serangoon Gardens home in 2009.

At first, the maid was thought to have been 23 years old at the time of Madam Sng’s death, based on her identification documents.

However, it later emerged that she had changed her identity in Indonesia to get a job here and was, in fact, 16 years old at the time.

No reason was given in court for why the charge was reduced.

A hearing for Fitriah’s plea to be taken has been fixed for Feb 15.

Represented by Mr Mohamed Muzammil Mohamed, she indicated that she would plead guilty.

She is accused of strangling Madam Sng some time between 8pm on Nov 25and 3.15am on Nov 26, at the elderly woman’s house in Farleigh Avenue.

Fitriah is reported to have left the house at about 3am. She stopped a taxi and asked the driver to call the police.

It is understood that she had been working for Madam Sng for less than a week.

If she is convicted of culpable homicide, she could be jailed for life, or up to 20 years, and fined.