Doctor charged with molesting woman at Mount Elizabeth Hospital, wants to claim trial
Dr Yeo Sow Nam faces molestation charges. (Photo: MountElizabeth.com.sg)
SINGAPORE: A doctor was charged on Friday (Feb 7) with four counts of molesting a woman at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.
Dr Yeo Sow Nam, 51, intends to claim trial and has instructed his lawyer to put up "a robust defence", the court heard.
All four incidents of alleged molest occurred on Oct 9, 2017, at 3 Mount Elizabeth.
He is accused of squeezing the waist of a 32-year-old woman, hugging her and quickly gripping her breasts, and kissing her head.
Dr Yeo is listed on Mount Elizabeth's website as the director of "The Pain Specialist" at Mount Elizabeth Hospital and Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital.
He is listed as a specialist in anaesthesiology, as well as the chairman of the pain management section at the Academy of Medicine's college of Anesthesiology.
He is also the founder, past director and visiting consultant of the Pain Management Centre and the Acupuncture Service of Singapore General Hospital, the Mount Elizabeth website states.
Dr Yeo's lawyer told the court that he had "firm instructions to contest the charges", and said he wanted to get trial dates as soon as possible.
He applied for his client to be allowed to go overseas as he has to treat patients on an ad hoc basis, but the police prosecutor said it was "difficult to ascertain if he's ever going to come back if it's open-ended".
The judge granted several applications for him to leave Singapore for work reasons on various dates, but ordered an additional S$10,000 bail.
He also imposed conditions such as the furnishing of a complete travel itinerary before departure, full details of where he will be staying, and a condition to remain contactable by the investigating officer.
Dr Yeo will return to court for a pre-trial conference on Feb 24.Â
If found guilty of molestation, he faces up to two years' jail and or a fine per charge. He cannot be caned as he is above 50.
In response to queries from CNA, Dr Noel Yeo, CEO of Mount Elizabeth Hospital, said: "We are unable to provide further comment on this, as the matter is currently before the courts."
