An Indian national employed as a staff nurse at Raffles Hospital has been sentenced to one year and two months in jail, along with two strokes of the cane, after pleading guilty to molesting a male visitor at the facility in June. Elipe Siva Nagu, 34, exploited his position by claiming he needed to "disinfect" the victim, a pretext that masked his assault, according to court proceedings reported by The Straits Times. The incident, which occurred on June 18 at the hospital on North Bridge Road, led to Nagu's immediate suspension from nursing duties. The victim, whose age and other details were redacted for privacy, suffered ongoing psychological trauma, including flashbacks, as detailed in the hearing before a district court.

The assault unfolded around 7:30 p.m. when the victim, who was visiting his hospitalised grandfather, entered a patient's toilet. Nagu, on duty nearby, peered inside while the man was using the facilities and then approached under the false guise of hygiene protocols. Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugene Phua explained that Nagu applied soap to his hand and proceeded to molest the victim, who remained frozen in shock and did not resist during the brief but violating encounter. This breach of trust not only violated the victim's dignity but also highlighted vulnerabilities in hospital environments, where staff interactions with visitors should prioritise safety and consent.

Following the assault, the victim returned to his grandfather's bedside without immediately reporting the incident, only for it to surface later through hospital channels or personal disclosure, prompting a swift police investigation. Singapore's legal system, known for its stringent stance on sexual offences, treats such cases with severity, particularly when they involve authority figures like healthcare workers. The mandatory caning—reserved for male offenders in certain violent or sexual crimes—serves as a deterrent, reflecting the city-state's zero-tolerance policy toward exploitation in public institutions. Nagu's guilty plea spared a full trial but did little to mitigate the sentence's punitive intent.

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This case underscores broader concerns about workplace misconduct in Singapore's healthcare sector, where expatriate professionals like Nagu—drawn from India's vast nursing talent pool—play a vital role amid staffing shortages. Raffles Hospital, a premium private facility under the Raffles Medical Group, has not commented publicly beyond confirming the suspension, but the scandal could impact recruitment and trust among international staff. As the victim continues to grapple with the aftermath, advocates for sexual assault survivors emphasise the importance of accessible counselling and policy reforms to prevent similar abuses, ensuring hospitals remain sanctuaries rather than sites of harm.

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