Singapore police officer's jail term increased in maid abuse case

A Singaporean police officer has seen his jail term significantly extended after losing his appeal against his conviction and sentence for his involvement in the fatal abuse of a Myanmar domestic worker. Kelvin Chelvam, 47, will now serve 11 years and six months in prison, an increase from the initial 10-year sentence.

The High Court judge, See Kee Oon, dismissed Chelvam's appeals against his convictions for abetment and causing evidence disappearance. The judge also allowed the prosecution's cross-appeal to increase the sentence for voluntarily causing hurt. Chelvam was convicted in July 2025 on multiple charges related to the death of Ms Piang Ngaih Don, who died in July 2016 after enduring months of severe physical abuse.

Ms Piang Ngaih Don, 24, weighed only 24kg at the time of her death from a brain injury caused by blunt force trauma to her neck. Chelvam was found guilty of charges including voluntarily causing hurt by grabbing the maid's hair and lifting her, and abetting his then-wife, Gaiyathiri Murugayan, in causing grievous hurt through starvation. He was also convicted of providing false information to investigators and dismantling a CCTV recorder to destroy evidence.

Chelvam's ex-wife, Gaiyathiri Murugayan, is currently serving a 30-year sentence, and her mother, Prema S Naraynasamy, is serving 17 years for their roles in the abuse. Gaiyathiri's appeal against her sentence was also dismissed. The Singapore Police Force had previously confirmed Staff Sergeant Chelvam's suspension from duty.

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High Court Judge See Kee Oon instead increased Kelvin Chelvam’s sentence to 11 years and six months’ jail.