Ex-lecturer charged with lying about HIV
A former lecturer has been charged for lying about his HIV status when he applied to work in Singapore.
American psychologist MX, 31, set up a private practice in Singapore as a child psychologist and also lectured in two polytechnics here.
He allegedly hid his HIV status to get his Employment Pass in March 2008.
He submitted a HIV-negative blood test result to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) for his Employment Pass application. The test was allegedly conducted using another person’s blood.
In June, X was charged with multiple offences spanning six years, including for lying to MOM and the police about his HIV status, refusing to undergo a medical examination, possessing and consuming drugs, and using a forged passport.
Court documents allege that the psychologist fooled MOM into accepting a HIV blood test result in his name twice – in 2008 and 2013 – while knowing that the test was done on another’s blood.
The ministry would not have granted him an Employment Pass if it had been aware that he was HIV-positive, according to his charge sheet.
He has also been charged with lying to two public servants on separate occasions. In 2009, he allegedly falsely declared his HIV status to the Controller of Work Passes on an Employment Pass application form. In 2014, he allegedly told a police officer that it was his blood which was tested in an earlier HIV test.
X faces 11 charges in total, including three drug-related charges, one for using a forged passport in 2008, and two for failing to submit to a medical examination at the Police Cantonment Complex.
He will next appear in court on Aug 18.
