20-7-2023 (SINGAPORE) The trial of Staff Sergeant Kevin Chelvam, a police officer accused of involvement in the abuse and cover-up of the fatal assault on a young Myanmar maid, Piang Ngaih Don, commenced on Thursday. Chelvam, who has been suspended from the Singapore Police Force, is facing four charges related to the case.
The 24-year-old victim, Piang Ngaih Don, was allegedly subjected to starvation by Chelvam’s wife, Gaiyathiri Murugayan, who was convicted last year and sentenced to 30 years in jail for culpable homicide and other charges. Chelvam’s mother-in-law, Prema S Naraynasamy, was also sentenced to 17 years in jail for abusing the victim and requesting Chelvam to remove crucial CCTV footage.
According to the prosecution, Chelvam, as the victim’s employer, was fully aware of the abuse and atrocities that occurred under his roof. The victim was given inadequate meals, resulting in her weight dropping drastically from 39kg to 24kg over 14 months. Prosecutors will present WhatsApp messages between Chelvam and his wife, suggesting he endorsed the use of food deprivation as punishment.
Furthermore, Chelvam is accused of assaulting the victim by grabbing her hair and lifting her off the ground, as captured on CCTV footage. He allegedly tried to obstruct the police investigation by disconnecting the CCTV recorder and providing false information about its whereabouts.
The trial will include testimony from a forensic pathologist who will describe the victim’s poor nutritional state and emaciated body at the time of her death. The prosecution aims to establish that prolonged starvation led to her eventual multi-organ failure and death.
While Chelvam is out on bail of S$15,000, his defence counsel, Mr Pratap Kishan, is contesting the charges on his behalf.
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