Singapore—A 32-year-old male nurse faced two counts of molestation on Monday (Feb 22), for which he claimed trial.
Ivan Lee Yi Wang, who worked at a clinic at Mount Elizabeth Novena Specialist Centre in 2018, allegedly molested a male patient twice while the patient was in recovery from a day procedure.
The incident is said to have occurred on Oct 31, 2018 at the Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital in Irrawaddy Road off Balestier.
Lee’s victim, a 26-year-old, has not been named for his protection.
Lee was a clinic nurse manager when the incident occurred. His duties included scheduling appointments and helping to dispense medicines upon patients’ discharge. He also had administrative duties.
“The job scope of the accused never involved any physical contact or physical examination of patients at any time,” said Deputy Public Prosecutor Stacey Anne Fernandez to District Judge Chay Yuen Fatt.
Judge Chay heard on Monday that the victim had gone to the clinic in late September or early October 2018 due to some digestion problems. There he met Lee for the first time.
He returned mid-October, but does not think he interacted with Lee during that visit.
However, Lee sent a WhatsApp message using his own personal number to the patient to remind him of an upcoming appointment.
The victim thought it strange to get a message from a personal number, so he did not answer the text, but called the clinic via its landline instead.
On Oct 31, he returned to the clinic and underwent an endoscopy. He recalled that Lee was dressed in a white top and dark-coloured trousers on that day.
After the endoscopy, he was brought to the recovery ward of the hospital’s Endoscopy Centre.
DPP Fernandez said,“(The man) will testify that during the time he was recovering in the ward, he had on the first instance been woken up when he felt (somebody touching his private parts).
He also saw a flashlight from what looked like a mobile phone pointed towards his groin area. He managed to see a male person clad in white top and dark trousers. He turned his body and the stroking stopped.”
The man was reportedly molested a second time that day and he complained to the other nurses.
“The doctors to be called will testify that the accused had no reason to be in (the patient’s) room except for administrative matters including dispensing medication and assisting with the patient discharge,” DPP Hernandez added.
Lee is still working as a nurse in another facility, reports straitstimes.com after an online search of registered healthcare professionals in the country.
The company running Mt Elizabeth Novena, Parkway Pantai, told ST that the clinic had hired Lee, who, they clarified, is not a member of the hospital staff. A spokesman for the hospital declined further comment because the case is now in court.
Lee could face up to two years in jail, a fine, or a caning, for every count of molestation, if he is found guilty.
/TISG
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