StanChart robber David Roach's caning sentence set aside to fulfil assurance given to UK
SINGAPORE: Standard Chartered Bank robber David James Roach has had his caning sentence set aside to fulfil the assurance given by Singapore to the UK in his extradition proceedings.
No alternative punishment will be imposed on Roach in lieu of caning, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday (Jul 25).
The Canadian national, now 31, fled Singapore for Thailand after robbing a Standard Chartered branch in Holland Village of S$30,450 on Jul 7, 2016.
He was detained in Thailand and deported to Canada in 2018, but was held by British police while in transit after Singapore put in an arrest request.
As part of the extradition proceedings, the Singapore Government undertook to UK authorities that no corporal punishment would be carried out on Roach.
On Jul 7 this year, Roach was sentenced to five years' jail and six strokes of the cane in Singapore.
President Halimah Yacob, on the advice of the Cabinet, exercised her powers under the Constitution to remit Roach's caning sentence, MHA said on Sunday.
"The Singapore Government has thus fulfilled the assurance given to the UK Government," the ministry said in a news release.
READ: StanChart robber David Roach sentenced to jail in Singapore 5 years after high-profile bank heist and escape
READ: StanChart robbery - Singapore agrees to UK request to not cane suspect if found guilty
The ministry also said that this assurance to the UK was "necessary" as the country would otherwise "not have permitted the extradition".
"Extraditing Roach to Singapore to face justice for his crimes was our top priority.
"The Singapore Government will do whatever is necessary and permissible within our legal framework to seek justice against those who commit crimes in Singapore, regardless of nationality and where they may have fled to," said MHA.