When Justice Meets Negotiation: A Former Housekeeper’s Tale Gets a Surprising Turn
Last week, the court drama that had everyone on edge decided to take a detour, with Judge Chan Seng Onn steering the case toward mediation instead of a costly trial showdown.
Who’s in the Picture?
- Ms. Parti Liyani – The brave 46‑year‑old Indonesian who was wrongfully accused of theft, only to see her conviction overturned by the High Court.
- Mr. Anil Balchandani – The lawyer standing by Ms. Parti, fighting for roughly $71,000 in damages.
- Attorney‑General’s Chambers (AGC) – The folks Ms. Parti is hurling a compensation claim at.
What’s the Cost?
Ms. Parti’s lawyer broke down the loss:
- $41,000 for the income she missed for four years after the accusation.
- $29,000 in shelter fees from the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics, a group supporting migrant workers.
But the law caps what she can actually get today: a flat $10,000 under the Criminal Procedure Code, assuming the court finds the prosecution “frivolous or vexatious.”
Why Mediation, Not a Courtroom Showdown?
Judge Chan said the cost of moving forward with a full trial would likely exceed the $10,000 compensation, making it a bit of a “bonfire” situation:
“It’s not a huge amount, and if we go through with this, the cost of the hearing will be more than $10,000. The court fees are public‑funded, and similarly for Mr. Balchandani – it’s also cost. Add all this up, two days of hearing and all of this is gone. Is this worth it? To me, it doesn’t seem so. It’s not proportionate at all.”
In a nutshell: investing in a long, expensive legal battle feels more like burning money than actually earning justice.
The Back‑Story
Before the judge’s ruling, Mr. Balchandani told the High Court that Ms. Parti had initially considered seeking damages from the Liew family but changed her mind after the judge cleared her name. He added:
“A lot has transpired since the judge acquitted Ms. Parti: Mr. Liew resigned from his roles at the Changi Airport Group and Surbana Jurong. My client’s instructions were not to add more to his problems. We had some documents prepared, but pulled back from sending them out.”
So, with the tug‑of‑war between the AGC and Ms. Parti’s case settled in the making, the court now encourages both parties to pick up a mediator and aim for a mutually agreeable solution rather than ignite a fire of costly litigation.
Final Thoughts
This story reminds us that sometimes the best path to justice isn’t through a courtroom’s echo chamber, but a calm room where both sides can talk, laugh, and reach a rightful compromise. After all, who knew that a former housekeeper’s fight for justice could turn into a chess‑board of mediation? Let’s hope the settlement will end on a true “fair” note.
Nominal sum
He added that Ms Parti was however, seeking some compensation from the AGC – only a nominal sum to acknowledge that something had gone wrong in the process leading to her initial conviction.
“The appellant, who is now a free person, was wronged, and the AGC could be a little wiser the next time round,” he said.
Mr Balchandani also said he had discussed the issue of compensation with the AGC, but negotiations had broken down.
Justice Chan then suggested the parties get a third-party mediator to assist with this, and provided the names of several past attorneys-general who would be familiar with the legal processes to allow for a smooth mediation.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Mohamed Faizal said he would inform the AGC of Justice Chan’s guidance and seek further instructions.
The parties also agreed on a timeline for proceedings should mediation fail.
Reminding the parties that court proceedings require public funds, the judge told them to have the issue “quickly done without all this hassle”.
He also noted that court preceedings would further burden Ms Parti, who is anxious to return home to Indonesia.
Mr Balchandani successfully applied for Ms Parti’s attendance in court to be dispensed with.
Ms Parti worked for the Liew family for nine years but was terminated on Oct 28, 2016, after she expressed unhappiness at being made to do extra work.
[[nid:506402]]
After she returned to Indonesia, the Liews made a police report alleging that she had stolen from them.
Ms Parti was arrested and charged after she returned to Singapore on Dec 2 that year.
She was convicted in March last year in the State Court for stealing more than $34,000 worth of items from the Liews.
In overturning the convictions, Justice Chan said he found the trial judge’s decision to be unsafe and also noted the Liews’ improper motive in filing the police report.
Last Friday, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon granted leave for an investigation into Ms Parti’s complaint of misconduct against two prosecutors in her trial.
A disciplinary tribunal will be convened to hear the case.
Law Minister K. Shanmugam is expected to make a ministerial statement when Parliament sits next week and address questions raised.
This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.
Law and legislationMAIDSSingapore courtsAttorney-General’s Chambers (AGC)
