Former NDCS Employee Charged with Voyeurism and Data Misuse

A former employee of the National Dental Centre of Singapore (NDCS) faced charges in court on Friday, accused of capturing and distributing voyeuristic images. The individual, identified as Elgin Ng, allegedly took photographs of female patients without their knowledge or consent.

The 28-year-old Singaporean was charged with 25 counts of voyeurism, each related to a different woman. Court documents redacted the identities of the women due to a gag order. The alleged incidents occurred between March 2022 and April 2024.

In addition to the voyeurism charges, Ng is accused of distributing the images to another man on at least two occasions between May and June 2024. He faces one charge related to the distribution of these images.

Furthermore, Ng is alleged to have accessed NDCS computer databases without authorization. He was charged under the Computer Misuse Act for accessing the personal details of 18 patients and downloading photos of 42 patients from the electronic dental records system.

The NDCS confirmed that Ng is no longer employed by the center. Upon learning of the incident, the NDCS conducted internal investigations and filed a police report. The center emphasized the importance of patient safety, privacy, and data protection, stating that they take data breach incidents seriously and do not condone such misconduct. The NDCS is unable to comment further as the case is ongoing.

Ng did not enter a plea. His next court hearing is scheduled for July 8. Penalties for voyeurism include imprisonment for up to two years, fines, caning, or a combination of these. Distributing voyeuristic images carries a potential sentence of up to five years in prison, fines, caning, or a combination. Unauthorized data access can result in a fine of up to S$5,000 (US$3,900), imprisonment for up to two years, or both.