SINGAPORE: A nurse, who was outsourced by an agency to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), stole S$1,100 from a domestic helper warded there.
But B. Siva Preveena, who pleaded guilty to committing the offence, failed to turn up in court on Wednesday (July 31) for her mitigation and sentencing.
A warrant of arrest has been issued against the 30-year-old Singaporean.
Defence lawyer Govindaraju Sinnappan said Siva earlier told him over the phone that she was feeling unwell. But she did not submit supporting documents.
The court heard that this was not the first time she failed to turn up in court over medical reasons.
A review on her warrant will take place on Sept 10.
Siva earlier pleaded guilty to a theft charge and three counts of helping out in an unlicensed moneylending business.
She used the stolen money to repay her debts to moneylenders but made full restitution.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Melissa Heng said the 33-year-old victim was admitted to KTPH at around 4am on May 12, 2020. She had diarrhoea and was vomiting.
The Myanmar national was under observation at the accident and emergency (A&E) department before she was transferred to an isolation ward.
Siva was on duty at the A&E department when the maid told her that she needed to relieve herself.
DPP Heng told the court: “The accused brought a portable bedside commode to the victim. The accused closed the curtains around the victim’s bed and remained within with the victim.
“As the victim turned her back on the accused to relieve herself, the accused formed the dishonest intention to steal from (her).”
The maid’s belongings were placed on a table at the foot of her bed and Siva stole $1,100 from her purse.
The maid realised only at around 7pm that her money was missing.
She reported her loss to another nurse and the police were alerted on the same night.
In an unrelated incident, the DPP said Siva needed money to renovate a flat in early 2021.
She came across an advertisement on Facebook offering loans and tried to obtain one from an unlicensed moneylender (UML).
DPP Heng said: “The accused claimed that she did not take up a loan after discussing with her husband who told her that the moneylender was illegal, but the UML nonetheless harassed her.
“The accused knew that the UML was not... authorised to carry on the business of moneylending.”
The illegal moneylender told Siva to hand over an automated teller machine (ATM) card, and she eventually agreed to do so.
She passed the card to an unknown UML runner in Jurong West in March 2021.
The illegal moneylender later asked her to open a bank account and relinquish the ATM card and personal identification number.
Siva opened a new account on April 23, 2021 and handed the ATM card to the runner that day.
In September that year, she also handed over an ATM card linked to a third bank account.
It was not stated in court documents if Siva received money in return.
Cash totalling more than $106,000 from the UML business flowed through the three accounts between April and September 2021.
DPP Heng said the identity of the illegal moneylender has not been established. - The Straits Times/ANN
