A Singaporean man, Leong Weng Wai, aged 54, confessed in court on Wednesday (Aug 28) to the charges of cycling nude on Lazarus Island and exposing himself to students from two prominent universities. The unquestionable acts of indecency led to his admission of guilt on three counts of appearing nude in a public place under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act.
Leong’s actions at NUS’ University Town resulted in additional charges, which will be taken into consideration during the sentencing phase. The accused’s brazen behavior began when, on November 14 of the previous year, two female campers, whose ages were undisclosed, spotted Leong cycling completely naked on Lazarus Island. Sensing their presence, he hastily dismounted his bicycle and took cover amongst nearby trees and bushes.
Despite the campers’ continued exploration of the island, Leong chose to make another round on his bicycle in his exposed state, prompting the victims to capture photographic and video evidence of his nude cycling. Seizing the opportunity, Leong approached the campers on this occasion, seeking clothing, and feigned a story about his garments being washed away by the sea. However, the victims, unaffected by his plea, promptly rejected his request and walked away.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Leong had left the island that very night, only to return the following morning. The campers had the unfortunate encounter of witnessing Leong’s unclad exploits on multiple occasions during their two-day adventure. Leong was seen cycling in varying levels of undress, only covering himself with a small towel on one occasion. Concerned about the safety and well-being of others, the campers reported the incident to the police later that month.
Leong’s astonishing audacity did not end with his acts at Lazarus Island, as he admitted to flashing female students both at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in May of the previous year. At approximately 10 PM on May 18, 2023, Leong strategically positioned himself in a disabled toilet at the Stephen Riady Centre of NUS’ University Town, hoping to entice innocent victims.
Leong’s devious plan continued when he called for help, causing a woman to approach the toilet. To her disbelief, Leong was lying on the floor with his pants down, fully exposing his private parts. The woman sought assistance from her friend, a student at NUS, to confront Leong. Their attempts to coax him into pulling up his pants were met with resistance, as Leong claimed his elbow and knee were injured.
Despite their persistence, Leong reluctantly corrected his attire, and the women escorted him to a nearby bus stop. Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the NUS student filed a police report several days later, detailing the man’s repeated offenses of exposing himself to female students in various restrooms. Additionally, on May 23, 2023, another female student at NTU encountered Leong lying against a wall near a disabled toilet, exposing his buttocks with his pants pulled down to his ankles.
As the female student extended a helping hand, Leong’s private parts became visible. Her refusal to assist in pulling up his pants was motivated by her observation that he was capable of doing so himself. Meanwhile, another victim, who had experienced a similar incident earlier that night, returned to the scene with her male friends and witnessed the new victim’s encounter with Leong. Together, they reported the incident to the police.
The judge, in response to Leong’s disturbing behavior, has called for a report to assess his suitability for a mandatory treatment order, postponing the sentencing to September. If convicted on each count of appearing nude in a public place, Leong could face a maximum sentence of three months in jail, a fine of up to S$2,000, or both.
