15 days' jail for NTU student who filmed female student undressing in campus toilet

SINGAPORE — A Nanyang Technological University (NTU) student who followed a female student into a toilet at the university and filmed her undressing was sentenced to 15 days’ jail on Thursday (Jan 5). 

Zhou Zhiwen, 22, had pleaded guilty on Sept 29, 2022 to one charge of voyeurism. Three other charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

Court documents did not indicate what course he is studying or at what year of study he is.

On Feb 5 in 2021 at around 8.30am, the victim, who was aged 20, had arrived at the NTU campus for her class scheduled to begin half an hour later. She cannot be named due to a court order to protect her identity. 

About 15 minutes later, she entered one of the cubicles of a female toilet on the first floor. 

Around the same time, Zhou was taking a break from his tutorial lesson. Upon seeing the victim, he decided to follow her into the toilet. 

He entered the stall next to her and held out his mobile phone under the partition dividing the two cubicles. 

Court documents stated that the victim was in a state of partial undress when she noticed Zhou’s phone pointing towards her. 

Alarmed, she immediately shouted, causing Zhou to run out of the toilet.

He then deleted the video and waited for her outside the toilet in order to apologise for what he had done.

However, she was still traumatised by what had happened. She quickly returned to class and told her classmate and professor about it.

Zhou was arrested by the police after NTU’s campus security was alerted. 

After taking into account several factors, including Zhou’s psychiatric condition, District Judge John Ng sentenced him to 15 days’ jail. 

An Institute of Mental Health report on May 20 had found that Zhou suffered from early psychotic symptoms that may have contributed to his actions.

In response to TODAY's queries, NTU said on Thursday that Zhou is still a student at the university.

He was placed on suspension for two semesters and was barred from on-campus housing and leadership positions, among other sanctions, for trespassing into a female toilet. 

"He resumed his studies after serving his suspension," the university said. 

However, it added that it will review the judiciary outcome before reassessing his candidature if necessary. 

Anyone guilty of voyeurism can be jailed for up to two years, fined, caned, or given any combination of the three.