SINGAPORE, Oct 25: In a disturbing breach of trust within one of Singapore’s leading private hospitals, an Indian staff nurse was sentenced to one year and two months in prison and two strokes of the cane for molesting a male visitor under the guise of a medical procedure.

The offender, Elipe Siva Nagu, 34, who was employed at Raffles Hospital, pleaded guilty to one charge of outraging modesty. The incident, which occurred on June 18, shocked both hospital staff and the broader public for its audacity and breach of professional ethics.

According to court records cited by The Straits Times, the victim — whose identity and age were withheld for privacy — had gone to the hospital on North Bridge Road to visit his ailing grandfather. At around 7:30 p.m., he entered a patient’s toilet, unaware that a nightmare was about to unfold.

While the visitor was inside, Elipe peered through the doorway and intruded under the pretense of wanting to “disinfect” him. In a calculated move, he poured soap onto his hand and proceeded to molest the victim. Stunned and frozen in disbelief, the victim was too shocked to react. Moments later, he returned silently to his grandfather’s bedside, visibly shaken but unable to process what had happened.

The trauma, however, lingered. The victim later experienced disturbing flashbacks, prompting him to report the assault on June 21. Authorities swiftly intervened, and Elipe was arrested two days later.

In court, Deputy Public Prosecutor Eugene Phua detailed the sequence of events, emphasizing the breach of trust committed by a healthcare professional who exploited his position to commit a vile act. The judge noted the seriousness of the offense and the psychological harm inflicted on the victim.

Following his arrest, Elipe was immediately suspended from his nursing duties at Raffles Hospital. The court’s sentence — a year and two months in jail, along with two strokes of the cane — reflected both the gravity of the crime and Singapore’s firm stance on sexual offenses.

The case has sparked renewed discussions about professional misconduct in healthcare settings and the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals even in trusted environments such as hospitals.