ABSCONDMENT OF FOREIGNERS CHARGED WITH CHEATING CASINO

ABSCONDMENT OF FOREIGNERS CHARGED WITH CHEATING CASINO

59.

Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs (a) how three foreigners charged in court in April 2010 with cheating the Resorts World Casino managed to abscond while their cases were pending; and (b) whether these incidents indicate a need to tighten up pre-trial procedures or border controls.

Mr Wong Kan Seng: In April this year, three foreigners were arrested for cheating at the casinos. The amount involved was $13,400. On 5th April 2010, when investigations had concluded, they were charged in Court for an offence of "Cheating with Common Intention".

The Court offered them bail, subject to the following conditions: (i) $15,000 bail each, that is, a total of $45,000; (ii) one Singaporean surety; (iii) passports to be impounded. The three accused persons were initially unable to meet the requirements for bail and were held in remand. However, they later managed to raise bail and were then released in end April 2010. They were required to attend Court on 20th May 2010.

However, they failed to turn up in Court on 20th May 2010. On the same day, the Court issued Warrants of Arrest whilst Police issued a Police Gazette and Stop-list against all three of them. Police have since also applied to have an INTERPOL Red Notice issued against them. Police believe that the three have fled the country and are abroad. Police have liaised with their counterparts overseas and investigations on the whereabouts of the accused persons are still ongoing.

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Without prejudicing the outcome of the investigations, let me address the issue as to whether there is a need to tighten up pre-trial procedures or border controls as a result of this incident.

Under the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC), the offence of cheating with common intention is one which is bailable as of right and bail has to be offered to the accused person. The Court may impose conditions for the accused person's release on bail, including specifying the number of sureties, setting the bail amount and requiring the impounding of passports. As investigations had concluded, the continued remand of these three accused persons in Police custody was not necessary. As they were able to meet the requirements for bail and their passports were impounded by the authorities, the accused persons were released.

Unless the argument is for the Courts not to grant bail in all cases of cheating by foreigners, I think the bail process is balanced and fair, balancing the rights of the accused, victim and the public interest in a particular case. Indeed, as Ms Lim knows, improvements were made to the bail process as recently as 2007 with the setting up of a dedicated Bail Court. Moreover, the current Chief District Judge has further streamlined the process to make it faster.

There are established procedures for Home Team agencies like ICA and Police to detect wanted persons at the checkpoints. Police are still investigating how the three accused persons absconded even though their passports were impounded. It is therefore premature at this point in time to speculate as to how they left the country.

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