SINGAPORE — A month before domestic helper Daryati allegedly murdered her employer at home, she wrote in her diary: “My employer's family is my target. Death!”

Daryati, who is known only by her first name, is accused of killing Madam Seow Kim Choo, 59, at her semi-detached house in Lorong H Telok Kurau on June 7, 2016.

On Tuesday (April 23), Daryati, who is from Indonesia, was charged with one count of murder — an offence that carries the death penalty. Another count of attempting to commit murder was stood down by the court.  

The court heard on the first day of the murder trial that Daryati, now 26, had allegedly plotted with Don Hayati — the other Indonesian helper employed by the family — to rob their employer and retrieve her passport. This was so she could return to Indonesia.

On the day of the incident, Mdm Seow was found motionless by her husband, 60-year-old businessman Ong Thiam Soon, in the bathroom of their home. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

Daryati is also accused of attacking Mr Ong with a knife. The latter sustained multiple injuries and was taken to Changi General Hospital, where he underwent surgery.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Wong Kok Weng told the court that Daryati had been employed by Mdm Seow for about two months at the time and had felt homesick. She also missed her lover, who was then working in Hong Kong.

In order to return home, Daryati had allegedly hatched a plan with Don Hayati, who was then 27, to retrieve her passport, which was kept in a locked safe in the master bedroom. She also plotted to steal Mdm Seow’s money, which was stored in a locked drawer on the first floor.

However, it was alleged that Daryati did not tell Don Hayati when she intended to execute the plan, or that she intended to kill Mdm Seow.

On May 12, 2016, Daryati wrote in her diary: “I must carry out this plan quickly. I have to be brave even though life is at stake."

On the day of the incident, she allegedly instructed Don Hayati to distract Mr Ong by talking to him, and told her to turn off the closed-circuit televison camera and electricity in the house at the appropriate time.

The court heard that the plan was for Daryati and Don Hayati to steal the money and escape while Mr Ong was busy restoring the electrical supply.

VICTIM STABBED MULTIPLE TIMES

The court heard that the day before the incident, Daryati hid a kukri knife — which originated from Nepal and has a distinct recurve in the blade — in the master bedroom on the second floor.

On the day of the alleged murder, she hid a short knife in the bedroom’s attached toilet. She then waited for Mdm Seow’s two sons to leave the house and for her daughter-in-law and grandchildren to go to the third floor.

At around 8.30pm, Daryati took another knife from the storeroom, hid it in her pants and headed up to the master bedroom where Mdm Seow was alone. On the way up, Daryati said the code word “jaga bawah” (watch below in Bahasa Indonesia) to Don Hayati so that the latter would be ready to execute the plan.

In the master bedroom, Daryati allegedly confronted Mdm Seow with a knife and demanded her passport. When Mdm Seow shouted, Daryati pulled her into the toilet and shut the door. She then allegedly stabbed Mdm Seow in the neck, head and face until she was lying on the toilet floor in a pool of blood.

Retrieving the knife hidden under the toilet sink, Daryati stabbed Mdm Seow again after she saw the latter trying to pull herself up.

DPP Wong told the court that Daryati stabled Mdm Seow “relentlessly and mercilessly” multiple times on the neck until she lay motionless.

Mdm Seow was found with a total of 78 stab and incised wounds on her neck, head and face. A further 19 incised and stab wounds were found on her left upper limb. According to the autopsy report, she also suffered multiple facial fractures.

As Mr Ong entered the master bedroom and opened the toilet door, Daryati allegedly stabbed him on the neck with the knife. However, he managed to disarm her and pushed her to the ground.

As Mr Ong went to check on his wife, Daryati stabbed him in the neck again. He managed to restrain her and took her out of the toilet.

Mdm Seow’s daughter-in-law then called for an ambulance.

MAID CRIED AFTER INCIDENT

Senior Station Inspector (SSI) Roslan Bin Ahmat, who is attached to the Marine Parade Neighbourhood Police Centre, was the first police officer to arrive at the scene at 8.56pm. He told the court that he found the accused at the house’s front porch with her hands tied and bleeding.

When asked how she had sustained the injuries and who had tied her up, she had replied “Sir”, which referred to Mr Ong.

She had also appeared scared and spoke softly to SSI Roslan in Bahasa Indonesia.

Paramedic Zafirah Binte Abdul Salim told the court that Daryati had complained of pain and said that she had banged her head on the toilet sink.

When asked how she had gotten the lacerations on her hand, Daryati did not reply. She remained silent and cried throughout the journey to Changi General Hospital.

The murder trial resumes in August.