An assistant professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS), Jevdic Dorde, has been sentenced to one year in prison following his guilty plea to drug-related charges.
The 40-year-old Serbian academic faced the court on December 11, where he admitted to one count of drug consumption and another for possession of drug paraphernalia.
According to ST, Dorde’s legal troubles began during a raid by the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) on August 4, 2023, at his apartment. Authorities discovered various items associated with drug use, including straws, a rubber tube, and a glass utensil.
Dorde later confessed to using these items to inhale methamphetamine, commonly referred to as ‘Ice’.
During the raid, Dorde was arrested but released on bail the same day after providing two urine samples for drug testing. The tests revealed the presence of a cannabinol derivative, which Dorde admitted was from smoking cannabis ten days prior to his arrest. He disclosed to investigators that his cannabis use began in early 2020 and that he sometimes smoked up to three joints a day after being introduced to a drug supplier.
In addition to his cannabis use, Dorde acknowledged using methamphetamine about once a month with others.
Represented by Mr. Gino Hardial Singh, Dorde cited suffering from major depression and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as contributing factors to his drug use. Singh argued that Dorde had turned to self-medication as a response to his mental health conditions.
However, DPP Cheah argued against this justification, stating that the idea of self-medication could be dangerous and should not mitigate the seriousness of his offences.
“Neither depression nor ADHD are uncommon conditions in Singapore. There are multiple avenues to address these conditions beyond consuming illicit substances,” Cheah said.
A spokesperson for NUS previously confirmed that Dorde had been suspended from his position since August 2023 and would face internal disciplinary proceedings following the completion of his legal matters.
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