Couple accused of keeping ‘slave’ in suburban Melbourne home returns to court
A FAMILY member of the “slave” who was allegedly tortured inside a Melbourne home for seven years is telling his side of the story.
THE husband and wife accused of keeping and torturing a “slave” behind the doors of their suburban Melbourne home watched on as one of the alleged victims’ family members revealed new information about the case.
Computer engineer Kandasamy Kannan and his wife Kumuthini appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for a committal hearing on Wednesday where they are accused of possessing a slave brought illegally from India, harbouring an unlawful citizen and exercising ownership.
It is alleged the pair — both originally from Sri Lanka — kept the woman in their Mount Waverley home for eight years. Paramedics found her in 2015 emaciated and lying in her own urine on the Kannans’ bathroom floor.
Via video link at the Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, the alleged victims’ son-in-law said he was offered money and the safe return of his mother-in-law in exchange for withdrawing a letter of complaint sent to Australia’s High Commissioner.
“This is a petition asking my mother-in-law to be returned,” the family member said through an interpreter.
“They said they’d give me money ... I told them you can keep money and bring her back here.”
The court also heard that communication between the alleged victim and family members in India was difficult because her “cellphone got lost” during the first year she was living with the Kannans.
“We don’t have her number,” the son-in-law told the court.
The alleged victim, who cannot be identified, travelled from India to Australia in 2007 to perform domestic duties for the Kannans.
But she alleges she was kicked and slapped, had boiling water poured over her legs and face, was cut with a knife and, at one time, beaten with a frozen chicken.
She also alleges the couple made her work a normal day from 5.30am to 3am the following morning, and that she was punished if she disobeyed them.
“More than 10 times I’ve been beaten and stomped and I’ve had poured hot water (on me) as well,” the woman told the court through an interpreter in December.
“They treated me very badly. They beat me several times. I was beaten, once I was hit with a plate on the head ... I was also cut by a knife on my wrists.
“Twice boiling hot water was poured on my legs. Hot tea has been thrown on my face a few times.”
The court heard on Wednesday that a number of cheques had been sent from the Kannans to her family at home.
“Since my mother-in-law went, I have received four cheques from (the Kannans),” the alleged victim’s son-in-law said. In total, the family received 60,000 Indian rupee ($A1191), the court heard.
“Apart from these cheques, did anyone else receive money from the Kannans?” their lawyer asked.
The alleged victims’ son-in-law responded: “No”.
Police allege the woman, aged in her 50s, was locked up inside the house each January when the family went on their annual holiday to India.
When they were home in Mount Waverley, in Melbourne’s southeast, the Kannans led an apparently ordinary family life with their three children.
Mr Kannan attended a private boys’ school in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and graduated from the University of Madras in Chennai, India, before the pair emigrated to Australia.
They have been released on bail and the matter will return to court later this month.
rohan.smith1@news.com.au | @ro_smith
— with Candace Sutton