This story begins in May 2019 when a Malaysian woman, Mallika Muniandy, 32, was illegally hired by stateless Singapore resident Pannirselvam Rajoo, 73, to work as a security officer at a warehouse there.
Fast-forward to July, Mallika and Pannirselvam got into an argument, after she complained about the outstanding salary that he owed her, along with the fact that he had hired another woman to do her job.
Pannirselvam asserted his authority and said there was nothing she could do if he chose not to pay her.
Mallika of course, said he was being unfair, and the pair then started to fight, literally.
For some reason, there was throwing of a TV involved, but long story short, the fight led to Pannirselvam picking up a penknife which he swung in Mallika’s direction with its blade extended.
She somehow managed to retrieve the blade and turn it on him, slashing him multiple times on the neck and chest, before packing her belongings and fleeing to Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Pannirselvam called his employer and said he was injured after someone had tried to rob him.
It’s understood that Pannirselvam was left with a 5cm U-shaped laceration on his neck which exposed his windpipe, along with two more cuts on his chest.
He was in hospital for three weeks.
In December 2019, Mallika was arrested when she tried to return to Singapore.
Now 33, Mallika pleaded guilty to one charge each of causing hurt with a weapon likely to cause death, and being a foreign employee without a valid work pass.
She was fined $3,000 and sentenced to eight months in prison, but she’s set to be released in the next few days, having already served the eight-month jail term since being remanded in December.
Pannirselvam, meanwhile, is due in court next month to face four charges - two of employing individuals without a valid work pass, and one count each of lying to the police and criminally intimidating Mallika.
What a stressful story!
by Kyle Roshen Jacob
