Lawyer and opposition politician Lim Tean, who left for Malaysia when he was supposed to begin his jail sentence, has been deported back to Singapore from our neighbouring country.
He was handed over to the Singapore authorities and arrested by the Commercial Affairs Department of the Singapore Police Force (SPF), SPF said in a media release on Tuesday (11 Aug).
Source: Singapore Police Force
Lim, 61, was arrested by the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) in Johor Bahru on 6 Aug after crossing the border undetected.
Two Singaporean men were charged in court on 8 Aug as they are believed to have helped him depart Singapore illegally.
Investigations into the circumstances of his illegal departure are ongoing, SPF said.
Lim, chief of the opposition party People’s Voice, had been sentenced to three months and a week in prison for practising as a lawyer without a valid practising certificate.
He was supposed to surrender to court to start serving his sentence on 3 Aug, but failed to show up and became uncontactable.
A warrant for his arrest was thus issued.
Ms Peggy Pao, Director of SPF’s Commercial Affairs Department, said on Tuesday that the police are “resolved to pursue and bring to justice” those who commit crimes in Singapore.
This will be true regardless of where they flee to, she added.
She thanked the RMP for their prompt assistance in the case, pledging that SPF will continue to work closely with its “wide network of overseas law enforcement partners” to locate criminals, arrest them and ensure they return to Singapore to “face justice”.
Also read: 2 S’porean men charged for allegedly helping Lim Tean leave S’pore, he reportedly entered JB by land
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Featured image adapted from Singapore Police Force.