Daily Lessons from Life 28 May 2013 - Singapore professor convicted in sex-for-grades case

"Singapore professor convicted in sex-for-grades case - AFP May 28, 2013 SINGAPORE - A Singaporean law professor was found guilty of corruption Tuesday after a judge ruled that he abused his position to obtain sexual favours and gifts from a female student in exchange for good grades. National University of Singapore (NUS) professor Tey Tsun Hang, 42, now faces jail terms and fines over his relationship with his then-student Darinne Ko in 2010. Local media reported that she is now 23 and working in a law firm. Tey, who is married with a daughter, tricked Ko into having sex with him and received gifts that included tailored shirts and a limited-edition pen, Judge Tan Siong Thye said in his verdict. Ko got pregnant during their affair and paid for her own abortion, the judge noted. "I find the accused guilty as charged and convict him on all of the six charges against him," he said. Tey faces a maximum five-year jail term and a S$100,000 (US$78,000) fine on each charge. He is to be sentenced on Wednesday. "It is a no-brainer that there was an obvious imbalance of power in favour of the accused. The accused had abused his position and power," the judge said. "In my view, it was an illicit romantic relationship that was laced with ulterior motives and corrupt intention in which the accused intentionally abused his position and took full advantage of a student." After the verdict, the NUS announced that it had terminated Tey's employment with immediate effect." Well. Thought the student said she was or they were in love during that period. Anyway, from a moral standard points, what the law professor did was wrong and inappropriate. Though some speculated that he was charged because he published a book critical of Singapore justice system with a Hong Kong University press. Lessons for me are: 1. if you are in the teaching profession, there is a certain expectation for you to be showing the conventionally expected moral good behaviors. Having sex with one of your students, even if in love and consenting and of legal age is still not good enough in Singapore; 2. while the professor will be sentenced as soon as tomorrow, what will happen to the ex-student in question? Is she properly qualified as a lawyer with this change of grade? It can be bothersome for her whenever this case is mentioned; 3. whenever happened to other 'unsubstantiated' allegations that this law professor was also intimate with other ex-students? It always puzzled me whenever I read about the prosecuted pressing on one or two charges against the accused when there were actually more charges that can be brought up. Is it some kind of special process by the folks practicing laws? Anyway, this closes another sexual scandal and corruption case in Singapore. A theme that kept appearing over the last 12-18 months with many people in position of authority being accused of obtaining sexual favours for this or that reason. May we have no more sexual scandal and corruption cases in the rest of 2013?