I. THE TRAGEDY OF DETI IN SINGAPORE (2018)

Today’s story involves two separate tragedies that occurred in Singapore and Taiwan, where two women were found lifeless.

Both victims are believed to have been ended by their partners because they defied their boyfriends’ wishes. The first story unfolded in Singapore, often known as the Lion City, home to an estimated 200,000 Filipinos contributing actively to the economies of both nations.

Sadly, a domestic helper was found lifeless inside a Geylang hotel in 2018. The victim was identified as Deti Vonosorata (30s), who arrived in Singapore in 2012 to work as a domestic helper.

Deti was born in Indonesia in 1984. She lived with her mother, Wars, and her stepfather, Murad. Her family considered Deti their strength, as she was hardworking and provided everything for them, even buying them a house and land.

Deti was married and had a son, but after seven years, the couple separated. In 2012, Deti decided to move to Singapore for work.

In May 2012, Deti met her boyfriend, Ahmed Salim (30), a single Bangladeshi national who worked for an air conditioning company in Singapore since 2010. Ahmed was immediately enamored with Deti, treating her as his wife even before they were married.

Deti’s family was aware of her relationship with Ahmed. In November 2017, five years after they first met, Ahmed and Deti agreed to marry in December 2018.

However, in June 2018, Deti met and became romantically involved with a Bangladeshi plumber named Shamim. When Ahmed discovered Deti’s relationship with Shamim, he contacted his mother and friends in Bangladesh, asking them to find him another suitable wife.

Soon after, Ahmed’s mother found a potential wife, and their marriage was scheduled for February 2019. Despite the arranged marriage, in August 2018, Ahmed and Deti agreed to continue their relationship.

They regularly met and were intimate on Sundays, although their relationship became fraught with arguments, as Ahmed suspected Deti was still meeting Shamim—a suspicion Deti denied. During one argument, Ahmed became so enraged that he strangled Deti.

In November 2018, Deti met another Bangladeshi man, Hanif Mohammad Abu, a fitter, and quickly began a relationship with him. Deti admitted the relationship to Hanif and told him about Ahmed’s arranged marriage, but assured Hanif that she would end her relationship with Ahmed.

On December 9, 2018, Ahmed suspected Deti was involved with yet another man. Deti did not deny it and admitted her new boyfriend was Hanif.

Deti firmly told Ahmed to return to Bangladesh and marry the woman arranged for him. Ahmed could not accept this; he still wanted Deti to remain his girlfriend even if he married someone else.

Losing hope of reconciling, Ahmed threatened Deti, saying something terrible would happen if she did not return to him. Ahmed then planned a final, dark meeting with Deti for December 30.

News articles revealed that Deti agreed to meet Ahmed because she owed him 4,450 Singapore dollars (approximately Php180,000) and intended to break up with him officially that day. Ahmed withdrew money from his bank account, taking his savings of 1,150 Singapore dollars.

II. THE FATAL ENCOUNTER AND AHMED’S ESCAPE ATTEMPT

That night, the suspect and the victim met at the Golden Dragon Hotel in Geylang, Singapore, where they were intimate. Ahmed pleaded with Deti to continue their relationship, even with his impending marriage, but Deti stood firm on her decision to break up.

Ahmed executed his dark plan: he strangled Deti until she passed away. After the criminal act, Ahmed stole Deti’s money (1,175 SGD), cellphone, and transit card, then extended the hotel room by two hours before leaving.

Ahmed contacted his roommate, Khalid, asking him to remit 1,000 SGD to his father in Bangladesh. Ahmed also informed his colleagues and boss that he was immediately leaving his job and returning to Bangladesh.

While Ahmed prepared his escape from Singapore, Deti’s body was found by a hotel receptionist. The receptionist discovered the lifeless body when he checked the room after the rental time expired.

Paramedics declared Deti deceased at 11 PM. Her autopsy report confirmed that the cause of her loss of life was strangulation. Ahmed immediately became the prime suspect.

On December 31, 2018, Ahmed’s employer requested he meet with them to discuss his return to Bangladesh. Upon arriving at the office, he was immediately arrested by the police.

On January 2, 2019, one day after his birthday, Ahmed was formally charged with murder and confined. Deti’s family was shocked to hear the news from the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore.

Deti was scheduled to return to Indonesia on January 15, 2019. Her mother, Wars, said she spoke with her daughter that Sunday morning but could not reach her later.

Wars revealed she had advised Deti to move to Hong Kong for work to avoid Ahmed, but Deti refused, citing loyalty to her current employer. Wars stated that Ahmed was set to marry another Bangladeshi woman but still refused to let go of Deti as his girlfriend, wanting her to be his paramour even after his marriage.

III. THE TRIAL, THE LIES, AND THE DE@TH SENTENCE

The Indonesian Embassy in Singapore assisted in returning Deti’s remains to her home country. The trial began on September 15, 2020, in the High Court.

Ahmed did not deny that he caused Deti’s loss of life but claimed it was not planned and that he had no intention to end her life. His defense claimed he lost control because Deti insulted him, saying her new boyfriend was better in bed and wealthier than him.

Ahmed admitted that Deti rejected his offer to remain his girlfriend even after his marriage, which led to him losing control. Ahmed submitted a medical report claiming he suffered from Adjustment Disorder, arguing that his diminished capacity should allow him to plead for a lesser sentence.

However, a psychiatrist concluded that while Ahmed might have suffered from the disorder, the symptoms were not severe enough to impair his judgment, noting that he had worked and was intimate with the victim just before the criminal act. On December 14, 2020, the court rendered its verdict.

The prosecution argued that the crime was premeditated, dismissing his diminished capacity defense. The prosecution also noted that Ahmed only claimed Deti insulted him during the trial, not when initially interviewed by police, suggesting it was a fabricated defense.

Ahmed was sentenced to death in Singapore. His appeal to the Court of Appeals in October 2021 was denied on January 19, 2022.

Ahmed remains on death row in Changi Prison, awaiting execution.

IV. THE DIONYSUS ODON CASE IN TAIWAN (2022)

This separate, parallel case in Taiwan involves a Filipina OFW and her partner, whose tragic end was also rooted in rejection. The Filipino OFW, Dionysus Odon (30), who worked in an industrial factory, caused the loss of life of his Filipina girlfriend, Santy (29), who worked in a technology factory.

Dionysus and Santy were in a relationship in the Philippines for one year before Dionysus left for Taiwan in 2018 to earn more money for their future. The long-distance relationship, however, led to frequent arguments and a breakup.

A year later, Santy also went to Taiwan for work, and the couple reconciled. Dionysus planned to propose, save money, and return home to start a family.

Dionysus proposed several times, but Santy always refused, preferring to stay and work in Taiwan. On August 13, 2022, they met in a hotel in Zhubei City to discuss marriage. Santy refused again.

According to a Taiwanese news article, Santy was seeing a Korean man, leading to an explosive argument. Fearful of being left for the other man, Dionysus became enraged.

He strangled his girlfriend, causing her loss of life. Dionysus did not immediately call for help, staying in the room for over two hours before finally calling an ambulance at 6 AM.

He immediately surrendered to the police, confessing his crime, stating, “I know I did wrong.” Dionysus’s public defender claimed he acted out of rage when he learned Santy was seeing a Korean man and had allegedly used his money for an abortion.

The judge ruled that Dionysus’s actions disrupted peace and order, sentencing him to 14 years in confinement in August 2023. His appeal was rejected, though the judge noted that good behavior might allow him an early return to the Philippines.

These dual tragedies underscore the deadly consequences of possessiveness and the immense vulnerability of overseas workers caught in cycles of emotional abuse and rejection.