A Melbourne woman accused of participating in an alleged domestic slavery scheme has been cleared of all charges midway through a joint trial, while her husband remains before the court facing allegations of holding an elderly woman as a forced laborer in their home.
Angie Yeh Ling Liaw stood trial alongside her husband, Chee Kit “Max” Chong, at Victoria’s County Court. Prosecutors alleged Liaw aided Chong in holding a 61-year-old woman in de facto slavery between February and October 2022, a case that has drawn attention over the alleged exploitative conditions the victim endured.
On Thursday morning, Judge Michael Cahill made the rare mid-trial ruling to dismiss all charges against Liaw, informing the seated jury that after a full review of the prosecution’s evidence, a legal finding of acquittal was required. “Having considered all of the evidence in the prosecution case I’ve decided as a matter of law that Ms Liaw should be acquitted of the charge against her,” Cahill told the jury. A formal not guilty verdict was immediately recorded, after which Liaw left the courtroom accompanied by her legal team.
Chong’s trial remains ongoing, with his defense barrister Diana Price confirming that her client will not testify in his own defense nor call any witness evidence to support his case. Jurors are set to receive closing arguments from both prosecutor Shaun Ginsbourg SC and Price in the coming days.
At the opening of the trial, Ginsbourg laid out the prosecution’s case against Chong, outlining allegations that the defendant intentionally held the 61-year-old woman as a slave and assaulted her on three separate occasions. According to the prosecution’s account, the victim was forced to carry out unpaid domestic work for the couple, and was denied basic living comforts: she was made to sleep on a staircase or in the couple’s garage, had access to food and rest restricted if her work did not meet Chong’s standards, and endured repeated physical abuse. Chong maintained complete control over every aspect of the victim’s life, from her ability to leave the property to access to medical care, acting as though he owned her, Ginsbourg alleged. On one occasion, Chong reportedly told the victim she could only leave if she paid him $1 million, otherwise she would be forced to remain in the home. The victim ultimately escaped in October 2022, and has since died of causes unrelated to the alleged abuse, court documents confirm.
For the defense, Price pushed back against the prosecution’s narrative, acknowledging the victim did live with Chong and assisted the household with domestic work and financial contributions, but denying all claims of assault and enslavement. Price argued that the victim may have had motive to exaggerate or fabricate her claims to police, and contended that even if the court found the victim was treated poorly, that treatment does not legally meet the definition of slavery. The trial is expected to conclude in the coming days as the jury prepares to deliberate on a verdict for Chong.