Holland Village bank robbery suspect to contest extradition to Singapore

Thailand rejects Singapore's request to extradite Holland Village bank robbery suspect
The logo of Standard Chartered is seen at its new Singapore office at the Marina Bay Financial Centre Reuters

David James Roach, who is suspected of robbing the Standard Chartered Bank branch in Holland Village in 2016, is planning to contest his extradition from Britain to Singapore.

The 28-year-old Canadian appeared in a London court on January 18. His lawyer, Sundeep Pankhania, told The Straits Times that Roach was planning to contest his extradition.

Roach allegedly stole SS$30,000 ($22,691) from a StanChart branch in July 2016, after handing the bank teller a threatening note.

He fled to Thailand on the same day shortly after the crime where he was arrested and was held at Bangkok's immigration detention centre.

Roach was deported to London on January 11 after he served a prison sentence for criminal offences in Thailand.

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He was detained by the British authorities in London following a request from Singapore, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) said in a joint statement on January 15.

"Since his arrest by the Thai authorities in July 2016, Singapore authorities have been in regular contact with the Thai authorities to secure his return to Singapore... We sought the assistance of the UK authorities to arrest Roach, with a view to his eventual extradition to Singapore," the statement said.

Media reports said that Roach was being deported from Bangkok to Canada and was in transit in London when he was arrested.

This article was first published on January 19, 2018
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