SINGAPORE, July 18 — A domestic helper who plundered more than S$217,000 (RM684,000) in cash and jewellery from her employer’s safe has been sentenced to three years and two months in jail.
Raguindin Alma Bassig, 47, used the stolen loot to fund a lavish lifestyle in the Philippines, purchasing condominium units, cars, and farmland. The Philippine national pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by a servant on Friday.
District Judge Koo Zhi Xuan described the total amount stolen as “staggering,” noting that the offence warranted a deterrent sentence because the accused gravely abused the trust of her employer, CNA reported.
The betrayal was deep. Bassig had worked for the family for nearly a decade and enjoyed unrestricted access to every room in the home.
The thefts began when Bassig discovered a safe hidden in an unlocked wardrobe in her employer’s bedroom. After finding the key in a coat pocket, she began a systematic raid of the safe. Between January and December 2022, she stole various currencies and high-end jewellery, including multiple Van Cleef & Arpels pieces, gold, jade, and silver, totalling S$77,851.
Whenever she returned home for leave, Bassig smuggled the cash and jewellery back to the Philippines. There, she converted the currency and sold or pawned the jewellery to build her real estate and vehicle portfolio.
The greed continued into 2024. In June of that year, Bassig struck again, taking another S$84,469 in cash and diamonds, including a princess−cut diamond S$18,000.
The thefts flew under the radar until November 2025, when the victim noticed cash missing but initially assumed it had been misplaced. Suspicion finally turned into proof on May 29, 2026, after the employer installed a motion-sensor camera in her bedroom.
The camera alerted her to movement, and the footage captured Bassig in the act of opening the safe. The helper was arrested after midnight the following day.
The courtroom scene was fraught with emotion. The 54-year-old victim, who had treated Bassig generously by paying for annual flights home to see her young children, confronted the court in a raised voice.
“I am disappointed with her behaviour,” the victim said, calling herself “foolish” for her trust. “When I saw her opening my safe, my heart was broken. I cannot believe she was doing this to me.”
The victim further disputed any claims of financial hardship, noting that the stolen funds were used for luxury purchases rather than family support. She also highlighted the sentimental loss of jewellery inherited from her mother-in-law.
In a final moment of anguish, the victim shouted, “Shame on you Alma!” at the helper, who appeared via videolink.
Throughout the proceedings, Bassig kept her head bowed and eyes closed. She pleaded for leniency, asking to be sent home to her elderly mother, and claimed she currently has no money left.
While the prosecution is considering a separate confiscation order, Koo informed the victim that the court cannot order compensation if the accused lacks the means to pay. The victim has been advised to pursue civil action to recover her possessions.