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SINGAPORE – Former National University of Singapore (NUS) professor Jeremy Fernando has apologized for distress related to the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
He also said that he filed a police report on a related aspect of the situation.
In a statement on Saturday (October 24), he broke the silence on the matter and said: “I would like to apologize for the anguish that these events have caused to those who were caught in this situation and to those closest to me.”
Dr. Fernando, a former Tembusu University fellow, was fired on October 7 following allegations of sexual misconduct against him by two students.
NUS said on Wednesday (October 21) that it had made a police report “given the seriousness of the allegations.” Both students had alleged that Dr. Fernando made advances toward them without consent.
In Saturday’s statement to the Today news publication, Dr. Fernando said: “I also made my own report to the police on an aspect related to this situation.
“Given the ongoing nature of these investigations and because I understand that I may be subject to certain confidentiality obligations, I cannot comment on these other procedures at this time.”
He added that he fully accepts his expulsion from the university for breach of the NUS code of conduct.
“As a consequence, I was fired for having an intimate relationship with a student,” he said, adding that he fully cooperated with the internal investigations conducted by NUS.
He noted that police investigations are ongoing after the university made a police report, and is “fully cooperating” with the process.
He also said that he had refrained from commenting on the situation to the extent that “it has been a period of reflection” for him and also because investigations are ongoing.
“I now feel that given the seriousness of the allegations made against me, it is important that I make this statement to clarify my position, as much as I can at this time,” he said.
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