KUWAIT CITY, Dec 16: A 55- year old Kuwaiti lady doctor was sentenced to four years in prison with hard labor by the Court of Appeals chaired by Judge Ibrahim Al-Obaid for hitting a solid object on the left eye of her housemaid and causing her permanent blindness. She was ordered to pay KD 5,001 in compensation to the plaintiff.

The account of the prosecution officer at Adan police station indicated the defendant maltreated the housemaid repeatedly and records also showed the defendant abused her previous housemaids in a similar manner, because another housemaid had registered a case against her in 2007 for physical abuse.

Apparently, the victim managed to flee from the defendant after she brought in a new maid to replace her and moved the victim to the residence of her sister.

Niece of the defendant is said to have assisted the victim to escape, after which they reported her missing. Photo of the victim was circulated on social media until human rights and labor organizations adopted the case.

Representing the plaintiff, Attorney Mohammad Jassem Dashti from Social Labor Society urged the court to slam on the defendant severe penalty and award compensation to his client, as Kuwaiti laws criminalize servitude and slavery as barbaric. He pitied the victim for losing one eye to wickedness while seeking greener pastures from her home country Madagascar. He lamented the woman will go back home one-eyed after several years of torture.

By Jaber Al-Humoud Al-Seyassah Staff