A former MasterChef Malaysia finalist and her ex-husband have each been sentenced to 34 years in prison for the torture and murder of their 28-year-old Indonesian domestic worker, according to Daily News Express and Sabah News.
The verdict was delivered by the Kota Kinabalu High Court on June 20, 2025. Etiqah Siti Noorashikeen Mohd Sulong, 37, and her ex-husband, Mohammad Ambree Yunos, 44, were found guilty of causing the death of their maid, Nur Afiyah Daeng Damin, between December 8 and 11, 2021, at their condominium in Penampang, Sabah.
Prosecutors said the couple subjected Nur Afiyah to prolonged and deliberate abuse, depriving her of food and care while forcing her to work under inhumane conditions.
The court was shown photos and videos recovered from their phones which documented the abuse she suffered leading up to her death.
During sentencing, High Court Judge Datuk Dr Lim Hock Leng ruled that both Etiqah and Ambree had acted with a common intention to cause her death.
Ambree was also sentenced to 12 strokes of the rotan, while Etiqah was exempted from caning in accordance with Section 289 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Although the Attorney-General’s Chambers initially sought the mandatory death penalty, the judge opted for the minimum sentence allowed under Section 302 of the Penal Code: 34 years’ imprisonment and whipping.
