Jail for woman who made helper do squats until she had leg cramps and could not stand properly
Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
May 7, 2026
Unhappy with her domestic helper’s performance, a woman ordered her to do squats in her Woodlands Housing Board flat while uttering words such as “I am stupid”.
The maid suffered cramps to her legs after completing 40 squats and could not stand properly.
Despite this, Eylaiza Benazir Mohamad Ausman flung a sweet potato at the Indonesian woman’s left shin and told her to do 20 more squats.
The 33-year-old victim was unable to do as ordered. Eylaiza then pulled the maid’s ear, splashed water on her face and shoved her left shoulder.
On May 7, the 29-year-old Singaporean was sentenced to seven months’ jail and a fine of $5,000.
She had pleaded guilty to one count of assault involving the maid, and an unrelated harassment charge.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Jeremy Bin said that the offender had come home at around 6.30pm on July 23, 2024 and found out that the victim had helped Eylaiza’s five-year-old daughter put on a jacket.
Court documents stated that the little girl was the one who had wanted to wear the garment as she thought that it was pretty.
DPP Bin said: “The accused was unhappy with this, believing her daughter would feel too hot, and instructed the victim to do 20 squats while saying the Malay words ‘saya bodoh’, which means ‘I am stupid’ in English. The victim (complied).”
While the helper was performing the squats, Eylaiza went to a nearby refrigerator and found out that the victim had not placed some frozen food in its chiller compartment.
She then told the victim to do another 20 squats while saying “saya gila”, which means “I am crazy” in Malay.
The helper suffered cramps to her legs and could not stand properly after performing these 40 squats, the court heard.
Soon after, Eylaiza found out that the maid had bought sweet potatoes that came from Indonesia instead of Japan.
She flung one of the sweet potatoes at her victim’s left shin and told her to do 20 more squats while saying “saya gila”.
The older woman tried to perform the squats but could not complete all of them due to the cramps in her legs.
Eylaiza’s husband then came forward and tried to stop his wife from punishing the victim.
Despite this, Eylaiza pulled the maid’s ear, causing the latter to take about three steps forward.
Soon after, Eylaiza realised that there was still some soap left in a milk bottle after the maid washed it.
She then filled the bottle with water, splashed its contents on the victim’s face and shoved her left shoulder.
Unable to tolerate any more abuse, the victim left the flat later that day after claiming that she wanted to get rid of some rubbish.
She phoned the police, but court documents did not disclose if Eylaiza was arrested soon after.
The maid was later found with tenderness to both shins after a medical examination the next day.
In an unrelated incident, Eylaiza took her then five-month-old son to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) at around 5am on March 6, 2024 as he was coughing.
The baby was warded with her consent, and staff told her that he had bronchitis.
Without revealing details, the DPP said: “Throughout the day, the accused became increasingly dissatisfied with the level of care provided by the hospital.
“She then informed KKH staff that she would be discharging her son...despite KKH doctors advising otherwise, as her son was suffering from a serious medical condition.”
Eylaiza was then asked to sign a “discharge against medical advice” form, but she refused to do so.
Instead, she began raising her voice at the KKH staff, including a 67-year-old nurse clinician, demanding that they provide a memorandum stating that they had not rendered any treatment to her son.
Shortly before 10pm that day, Eylaiza called the police and said: “I am having issues with the doctor here who (refused) to let me and my child leave.”
Police officers arrived at the scene and she also raised her voice at them.
She refused to lower her voice or continue the conversation in a separate room away from public view, even though the police officers asked to do so more than 10 times.
Eylaiza also falsely claimed that the police officers were pushing her and told one of them that he was “so sassy like a girl”.
When the officer asked her about what she had said, she moved closer to him and repeated the same phrase two more times.
According to court documents, she was also provided with a doctor’s memorandum as requested.
She then demanded that the doctor make multiple amendments to it as directed by her.
During the same dispute, Eylaiza also berated the nurse clinician, and used a vulgar word to verbally abuse the older woman.
Among other things, the offender said: “I also work in a clinic… we know how it is supposed to run, we don’t provide this kind of... service...you better think before you talk, because you might not be as bright.”
Court documents did not disclose what happened next, and she was later charged in court in 2025.
On May 7, defence lawyer Rohit Kumar Singh told the court that Eylaiza is remorseful.
He also said that the maid had not suffered any long-term disabilities or permanent scarring.
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