Student faces molestation charge

A tertiary student was yesterday charged with molesting a woman, criminal trespass, insulting the modesty of a woman and dishonest misappropriation.

Weng Yixiang, 25, allegedly used criminal force to outrage the modesty of a woman in her 20s at the National University of Singapore (NUS) on April 20 this year.

He is also accused of criminal trespass into a female toilet at an NUS hostel with intent to commit the offence of insulting modesty.

This happened in the early hours of Nov 25, 2015, when he allegedly looked over a toilet cubicle partition to peep at a woman using the toilet.

He is also alleged to have misappropriated various items, such as women's underwear, between Jan 11 and Nov 25, 2015.

The prosecution applied for Weng to be remanded at the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric evaluation to determine whether he suffers from any mental illness, and if there is any causal link to his alleged offences, as well as his risk of re-offending.

But Weng's counsel Ho Jun Yi objected strenuously, saying his client is studying and working, which indicate that Weng has the mental capacity to do these things, and is not of unsound mind.

He also said Weng had seen a psychiatrist at IMH after his arrest.

District Judge Adam Nakhoda turned down the prosecution's application, and said it can make its case again after getting directions from the Attorney-General's Chambers. The case will be mentioned on Nov 8.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 21, 2017, with the headline Student faces molestation charge. Subscribe