Ex-NUS lecturer accused of molestation allowed to travel to Portugal for artists' residency

Shaffiq Alkhatib
The Straits Times
Jun 7, 2023

A district court has granted an application for former National University of Singapore (NUS) lecturer Jeremy Fernando, who is accused of molestation, to leave Singapore from June 30 to Aug 1.

On Wednesday, the court heard that Fernando, 43, will be taking part in an artists’ residency at the Hangar Artistic Research Centre in Lisbon, Portugal, from July 1 to 31.

Before leaving Singapore, he must furnish his complete travel itinerary to the investigating officer or an officer acting under the latter’s direction.

Fernando, a former Tembusu College fellow, must surrender his passport to the authorities within 24 hours upon his return.

He was charged with one count of molestation in March.

He is accused of molesting a woman by kissing her on the lips at around 4am on July 4, 2020. There is a gag order on her identity and the location of the alleged offence.

It was reported in October 2020 that Fernando was fired by NUS following allegations of inappropriate behaviour.

NUS also lodged a police report.

If convicted of molestation, an offender can be jailed for up to two years, fined, caned or receive any combination of such punishments.