New detention order issued against Dan Tan
Photo: TODAY/Ernest Chua
SINGAPORE — The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) confirmed in a statement this afternoon (Dec 5) that Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam has issued a detention order against alleged match-fixer Dan Tan Seet Eng for his involvement in global soccer match-fixing.
This new detention order, issued today under section 30 of the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act (CLTPA) “expressly sets out the grounds which show the extent of Dan Tan’s match-fixing activities from and within Singapore”, and why the detention order is necessary, said the MHA.
It also sets out the seriousness of Tan’s criminal activities over many years, their impact on public safety, peace and good order within Singapore, and the fact that he has intimidated witnesses to the extent that they continue to be unwilling to testify against him for fear of reprisal, the MHA added.
The MHA said it has obtained the consent of the Public Prosecutor in issuing the new detention order against Tan, 51.
This comes after Tan was released last week from what the courts ruled as unlawful detention under the CLTPA. The courts said then that his detention was “beyond the scope of the power vested in the minister, which was to detain persons in the circumstances where activities of a sufficiently serious criminal nature threatened to or did undermine public safety, peace or good order in Singapore”.
Tan was arrested again on Dec 1 for investigations into his suspected involvement in criminal activities.
Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam had on Thursday said the grounds for detention would be set out “in full” to comply with the requirements of the CLTPA. He also reiterated that the authorities respect and accept the Court of Appeal’s decision to release Tan from custody.
The CLTPA allows the Home Affairs Minister to detain suspected criminals without trial, and has been invoked to put away hardened gangsters, loan sharks and murderers. The detention orders are for up to a year, and have to be reviewed annually.
