Woman allegedly kept as slave now terminally ill as prosecutors fight to fast-track case

A woman allegedly beaten and kept as a slave by a Point Cook couple for almost a year has been diagnosed with a terminal illness as a fight ramps up to fast-track the case.

Point Cook couple Angie Ling Liaw and Chee Kit Chong are accused of slavery offences. Picture: Facebook

A woman allegedly kept as a slave by a Point Cook couple has been diagnosed with a terminal illness as prosecutors fight to fast-track the case through the courts.

Husband and wife Chee Kit Chong, 44, and Angie Yeh Ling Liaw, 29, have been accused of “modern-day slavery offences” by allegedly beating and ordering the “vulnerable” woman into servitude in their home for almost a year.

Healthcare workers alerted authorities to the woman who was “allegedly exhibiting indicators of human trafficking”, and the couple were later charged with three slavery offences between January and October 2022.

But barrister Michael Keks, for the prosecution, told the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that “the complainant, who is critical in this case, has a terminal diagnosis”.

“The prosecution’s position is this matter needs to be progressed,” he said.

Chee Kit Chong arrives at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. Picture: David Geraghty

Mr Keks said prosecutors would apply for the case to be fast-tracked to the Supreme Court.

Mr Chong, wearing maroon tracksuit pants and a grey beanie, sat in the courtroom for the hearing on Monday morning while his wife appeared via video link from her home, where she was looking after her kids.

Their defence lawyer, Payne Wu, asked the court for some time to sort out funding issues in getting cash from his clients, and to get across the case.

Magistrate Belinda Franjic asked Mr Chong to stand, telling him she would “seriously entertain” fast-tracking the case to a higher court if it didn’t move forward.

An artist’s impression of Point Cook couple Angie Ling Liaw and Chee Kit Chong. Artist: Mollie McPherson

“Hopefully you appreciate how important it is to pay your lawyers so they can do the work and the matter can progress on the next occasion,” Her Honour said.

“Yep, yep,” Mr Chong replied.

Ms Franjic said there were “strong reasons” why the case needed to be pushed through, “the more pressing one is the complainant is now terminally ill”.

The Australian Federal Police launched a probe in October last year following concerned reports by healthcare workers over the woman at the centre of the claims.

The couple’s Point Cook home was raided soon after and the pair was charged with possessing a slave, using coercion and threats to cause a person to enter into and remain in servitude, and exercising control over a slave.

The AFP claimed Mr Chong and Ms Liaw “exercised coercive control over the other woman, subjected her to physical assaults and controlled her movements”.

They will return to court on July 14.