A 26-year-old estate management officer at a private university has been sentenced to seven weeks in jail on 19 February after pleading guilty to a charge of voyeurism. The man, a Malaysian national, was found to have secretly installed a pinhole camera in the ceiling of a disabled toilet, intending to spy on unsuspecting users.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CASE
- A 26-year-old estate management officer at a private university in Singapore was sentenced to seven weeks in jail for installing a pinhole camera in a disabled toilet to spy on others, including his male colleague.
- The accused, who is Malaysian, intended to use the recorded footage to fulfill his sexual needs while his wife was pregnant, but only managed to record one victim.
- The installation of the camera was premeditated; he purchased the device online and concealed it in a hole he created in the ceiling of the toilet.
- The victim discovered the camera shortly after it was installed, leading to a police report and the accused’s arrest three days later.
DETAILS OF THE CASE
The court heard that the accused, who had been employed at the university since February 3, 2023, purchased the camera from an e-commerce platform in December 2024. He aimed to capture illicit footage to satisfy his sexual urges while his wife was pregnant.
According to Channel News Asia, on January 16, 2025, the man brought the camera to work, disguising his actions as part of his job responsibilities. He entered the disabled toilet with a ladder and, using a screwdriver, enlarged a pre-existing hole in the ceiling. He then placed the camera, equipped with an SD card and a power bank, inside the ceiling and concealed it with masking tape.
Approximately 40 minutes later, a male colleague using the toilet noticed the hole and tape, prompting him to investigate. Alarmed to discover the camera, the colleague immediately lodged a complaint. Following the report, university staff cordoned off the area for investigation, and a police report was filed on January 20, leading to the man’s arrest three days later.
The prosecution emphasized the significant invasion of privacy experienced by the victim, noting that his private parts had been recorded by the camera. They called for a “robust sentence” to deter similar offenses, highlighting the accused’s abuse of his position which allowed him to carry out the act without raising suspicion, the report added.
In defense, the accused’s lawyer, Don Tan, argued that while the victim had been recorded, the footage was never viewed as the camera was discovered shortly after installation. The defense also contended that there was no evidence to suggest the accused had specifically targeted the victim and pointed out the lack of lasting emotional harm.
Despite these arguments, the court deemed the actions premeditated and unacceptable.
For voyeurism, the law allows for a maximum penalty of two years in prison, fines, caning, or a combination thereof. The accused’s early plea of guilt was taken into account during sentencing, but the judge ultimately ruled for a custodial sentence to serve as a warning against similar offenses in the future.
The identity of the accused has been withheld to protect the victim’s privacy.
Image via google for illustration
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