Ex-Masterchef M'sia finalist, 37, & husband jailed 34 years for abusing & killing 28-year-old maid

28-year-old Nur Afiyah Daeng Damin was subjected to prolonged abuse by her employers, Etiqah Siti Noorashikeen Sulang, 37, and Mohammad Ambree Yunos @ Unos, 44, and eventually died due to the fatal injuries they inflicted on her.

The two were found guilty of murdering her.

The offence took place between Dec. 8 and 11, 2021 at their Amber Tower residence in Sabah, Malaysia.

According to Malay Mail, Etiqah is a former Masterchef Malaysia finalist and an engineer with Petronas.

According to Malay Mail , Afiyah had been subjected to prolonged abuse by her two employers. There was evidence of trauma on her body and face.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Dacia Jane Romanus urged the court to impose the death sentence.

"The injuries sustained by the deceased did not occur all at once, they were inflicted over time, in a prolonged campaign of cruelty that speaks volumes about the intent of the accused persons to cause her death."

The two offenders even went so far as to document the abuse on their phones. Videos and images from their phones were taken as evidence for the abuse and murder.

"This evidence not only corroborated the abuse, but also revealed the accused persons' chilling intent to record and preserve her suffering."

According to New Straits Times, Afiyah's body was so severely deteriorated that her husband was only able to identify her from the bangle she wore on her wrist.

The accused were sentenced in accordance with Section 302 of the Penal Code

Judge Datuk Dr Lim Hock Leng said that though both offenders had submitted impassioned mitigation plea, the cruel abuse that Afiyah had suffered could not go unpunished.

Furthermore, during the course of the trial, the two offenders kept pushing the blame to each other.

As reported in The Star, the court ruled that the two had acted with the intention to hurt, and had inflicted fatal injuries on Afiyah.

According to Daily Express, Ambree and Etiqah divorced in July 2024.

Daily Express further reported that Counsel Datuk Ram Singh, who represented Ambree, appealed for a 30-year prison sentence with four strokes of the cane. He said that Ambree deeply regretted his actions and wanted to apologise to Afiyah's family, and that he also had to care for his three children.

The counsel who represented Etiqah, Datuk Seri Rakhbir Singh, also appealed by stating that Etiqah had no prior convictions and that she had a history of mental health conditions and was on several medications. He further mentioned that she regretted her actions and still has to care for her children.

The two were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code, which provides for the death penalty or an imprisonment term ranging from 30 to 40 years.

Daily Express reported that the court took into account public interest, the seriousness of the crime, need for a deterrent sentence and the fact that the Ambree and Etiqah were first-time offenders in their ruling.

Both of them were sentenced to 34 years' imprisonment.

Ambree was also sentenced to 12 strokes of the cane. Etiqah was not, due to "gender provisions", reported Malay Mail.

The two were convicted on Jun. 20 and began their sentences from the time of conviction.

Top photo via Tribunnews/YouTube and Astro Awani/ YouTube