Singapore, 25 Oct

An Indian national working as a staff nurse at a Singapore premium hospital was sentenced to a year and two months’ jail, and two strokes of the cane after he pleaded guilty to a molestation charge.

Elipe Siva Nagu, 34, molested a male visitor to the Raffles Hospital in June, after claiming that he wanted to “disinfect” the victim, The Straits Times reported.

He was suspended from his nursing duties soon after the offence.

The offence caused the victim to have flashbacks of the incident, the court heard.

Details about the victim, including his age, were redacted from court documents.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugene Phua said that the victim was at the hospital in North Bridge Road on 18 June to visit his grandfather, who had been admitted there.

At around 7.30pm, the victim entered a patient’s toilet, and Elipe looked inside while he was using it.

On the pretext of wanting to “disinfect” the victim, Elipe put soap on his hand and molested him, said DPP Phua.

The court heard that the startled victim did not move as he was shocked.

The victim later returned to his grandfather’s bedside after his ordeal.

Court documents did not disclose what happened next, but the case was reported on 21 June.

Elipe was arrested two days later.

The court sentenced Elipe on Friday to a year and two months’ jail and two strokes of the cane.