SINGAPORE, April 10 – A man who volunteered as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) physician was sentenced to 12 months in jail after using his position to take voyeuristic photographs of patients over a span of three years.

The Straits Times reported that Liew Meng Fatt, 57, targeted multiple women while working part-time at two TCM clinics between August 2020 and September 2022, secretly capturing images of their exposed bodies during treatment sessions.

According to the report, the prosecution told the court that he would ask the patients to lie face down for acupuncture or other treatments and would then take photos of their exposed breasts or genital area.

Liew continued taking photos even when other people were present in the room, including a case where a woman was accompanied by her husband at every session.

His activities came to light after his wife discovered the obscene images on his devices and alerted the police, handing over two smartphones, two hard disks and a laptop.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of voyeurism, with four additional similar charges considered. Liew was not caned, as he is over 50.

Investigators found at least 137 voyeuristic photos of nine different victims taken in a TCM clinic setting.

Court records showed Liew was formerly a director at the Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2016 to May 2019 and worked as a senior technical sales specialist.

The prosecution said he would typically transfer the images to his laptop in his car and enhance them for viewing later. He admitted that he took and edited the images for his own sexual gratification.

Under Singapore law, voyeurism is punishable by up to two years’ jail, a fine, caning, or a combination of these, while insulting the modesty of a woman carries up to a year’s jail and a fine.