No diplomatic interventions in shoplifting case involving Italian swimmers: Shanmugam
Italian swimmers Benedetta Pilato (left) and Chiara Tarantino (right). (Photos: AFP/Alberto Pizzoli, World Aquatics)
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SINGAPORE: There were no diplomatic interventions to influence the outcome of a case last month involving two Italian swimmers who were arrested in Singapore for shoplifting at Changi Airport, said Minister for Home Affairs K Shanmugam on Wednesday (Sep 24).
Mr Shanmugam, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security, was responding to a parliamentary question by Workers' Party MP Gerald Giam on the protocol for the investigation and release of foreign visitors detained for criminal offences.
Mr Giam also asked whether diplomatic intervention from a foreign embassy can influence the legal outcome of such cases, as well as why the swimmers were only issued a warning and an entry ban.
Benedetta Pilato, 20, and Chiara Tarantino, 22, were arrested on Aug 14 for shoplifting at the airport. They were returning to Italy after a vacation in Bali, following the conclusion of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore.
On Aug 19, they were issued a one-year conditional warning and banned from re-entering Singapore.
They had stolen S$150 worth of items, which were recovered, said Mr Shanmugam.
He said that the pair requested consular access after they were arrested, so the police alerted the Italian embassy of their arrest and continued their investigations.
"There were no diplomatic interventions to influence the legal outcome," he added.
The pair were "treated in accordance with a framework for treating offenders, based on types of offences committed", said Mr Shanmugam, adding that the same framework applies to everyone regardless of whether they are foreigners or locals.
He said that in cases involving foreign offenders, the Singapore authorities will inform them of their right to consular access upon their arrest or detention. If they request consular access, the authorities will inform the embassy so it can provide the relevant consular assistance.
He added that this is a requirement under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, to which Singapore is a party.
"The provision of consular assistance has no bearing on the investigation process and legal outcome," said Mr Shanmugam.
Earlier this month, the Italian embassy told CNA it had intervened and provided assistance to the swimmers, who returned to Italy on Aug 19.
Mr Shanmugam added that in deciding on the appropriate course of action for a case, the police and the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) will generally consider four factors.
These are the facts and circumstances of the case, the severity of the offence, whether there are any aggravating or mitigating factors, and how similar cases were treated.
"In this case, the police and AGC assessed that a 12-month conditional warning was appropriate," said Mr Shanmugam, adding that an entry ban was also imposed, given that the pair are foreigners.
