Melbourne couple charged with slavery and abuse of Indonesian woman
Consensus Summary
A Melbourne couple, Chee Kit Chong and Angie Yeh Ling Liaw, are on trial for allegedly enslaving an Indonesian woman in their Point Cook home between early 2022 and October 2022. The woman, who had a prior relationship with Chong after meeting in Malaysia in 2015, was initially invited to stay for a month to help with childcare but was later subjected to extreme control, beatings, and deprivation of food and sleep. Prosecutors allege Chong treated her as property, demanding she work off a perceived debt after she was blamed for a lost credit card, while forcing her to perform domestic labor and punish her physically when she failed. The womanâs injuriesâincluding a swollen ear, lacerations, and malnutritionâwere documented at a hospital before she fled in October 2022. Both defendants pleaded not guilty, with Chongâs defence suggesting the woman may have exaggerated her claims, while prosecutors argue her vulnerable immigration status made her susceptible to exploitation. The trial, which began in early 2024, highlights systemic abuse and the coupleâs alleged manipulation of the womanâs trust over years, including abandoning her in Malaysia in 2017 before inviting her back under false pretenses.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Chee Kit Chong and Angie Yeh Ling Liaw, Malaysian nationals, are facing slavery charges in Victoriaâs County Court for allegedly enslaving an Indonesian woman in their Point Cook home between January 2022 and October 2022
- The alleged victim, a 61-year-old Indonesian woman, was initially invited to stay for a month in early 2022 to assist with childcare after Angie Yeh Ling Liaw gave birth to her second child
- Chee Kit Chong allegedly accused the woman of causing a financial loss (a company credit card) and demanded she work off the debt, escalating control over her life
- The woman was allegedly beaten, deprived of food, and forced to sleep on the stairs or in the garage as punishment for failing to meet Chongâs demands
- The alleged victim was ordered to perform domestic tasks including cleaning, cooking, and massaging Chongâs legs, and was punished when she fell asleep during the massage by being hit with a vacuum cleaner
- The woman presented to St Vincentâs Hospital in October 2022 with injuries including a swollen ear, lacerations, leg swelling, and signs of malnutrition, prompting police intervention
- The Indonesian woman died in 2024, but prosecutors stated her death was unrelated to the case
- Both Chong and Yeh Ling Liaw pleaded not guilty to the charges, with Chong previously establishing a âmother-sonâ relationship with the woman after meeting her in Malaysia in 2015
- The couple allegedly abandoned the woman in Malaysia in 2017, leaving her homeless for four years before inviting her back to Australia in 2021
- The trial began in early 2024 before Judge Michael Cahill in Victoriaâs County Court
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Prosecutor Shaun Ginsbourg S.C. stated Chong told the woman she could leave if she paid a million dollars, implying extreme financial coercion
- The womanâs injuries were documented by local medical clinics and a hospital in the final months of her ordeal, with records presented in court
- Chongâs defence lawyer Diana Price suggested the woman may have exaggerated or embellished claims about abuse, sleep deprivation, and food restriction
- Chongâs defence denied ordering the woman to perform tasks, claiming it was her idea to assist, and denied restricting her access to food
- Angie Yeh Ling Liaw told police she and Chong met the woman on the streets of Melbourne and took pity on her homelessness, denying restricting food access
- The woman was described as a pastor in Malaysia when she met Chong at a church, and she moved to Australia on a tourist visa in 2017
- Prosecutor Shaun Ginsbourg S.C. described the woman as a pastor at the church where Chong attended in Malaysia in 2015, and she frequently gave Chong money due to his financial struggles
- The woman allegedly told prosecutors, âHeâs a master, Iâm a maid. Iâm a helper only,â after the relationship changed
- The womanâs injuries included a grossly swollen ear, laceration to the foot, and swelling to her legs, with indicators of malnutrition presented at St Vincentâs Hospital
- Daniel Gurvich KC for Angie Yeh Ling Liaw asked the jury to consider that there was very little evidence directly implicating his client in the slavery offence
- The prosecutor noted Chong had âintermittent contactâ with the woman over four years after abandoning her in Malaysia, before inviting her back in 2021
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC reports Chong allegedly told the woman she could leave if she paid a million dollars, while NEWSCOMAU does not mention this specific demand
- ABC states Chongâs defence lawyer Diana Price suggested the woman may have exaggerated or embellished claims, but NEWSCOMAU does not reference this exact phrasing from the defence
- NEWSCOMAU describes the woman as a pastor at the church where Chong attended in 2015, while ABC does not specify her role beyond being a pastor in Malaysia
- ABC reports Angie Yeh Ling Liaw denied restricting the womanâs access to food, but NEWSCOMAU does not explicitly state she denied this in the same way
- NEWSCOMAU highlights Chongâs financial struggles and the womanâs repeated financial support for him, which is not emphasized as a key detail in ABCâs coverage
Source Articles
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