Police issue advisories to 200 'passively'
involved in Little India riot
Behave
or be sent back
Report and photo
by NG JUN SEN
Police action
against the Dec 8 Little India rioters were not limited to those
who threw rocks and attacked police officers and medical
personnel.
Around 200 others, whose involvement that night was described by
police as "passive and incidental", will be given police advisories
to remind them to behave themselves.
Commissioner of Police Ng Joo Hee explained that
this group was physically present at the location of the riot.
He said: "I want to make clear that this third
group will neither be further detained nor repatriated. They will
be allowed to stay on in Singapore and to continue with their
employment, but they must not come to adverse notice again."
On Sunday, this group will be issued with formal
police advisories at the Police Cantonment Complex.
They will have to be accompanied by their employers
from more than 150 companies in the marine trade and construction
industry.
Why an advisory and not a warning?
Mr Ng said: "Police advisories are given out to
persons who have not committed an offence as a reminder to tell
them to comply with the law in Singapore."
He said besides those charged in court, 57 others
who were involved in the rioting were repatriated. (See report on
right.)
WHAT ARE POLICE WARNING AND WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN THEY ARE ISSUED?
A warning is of a higher degree of severity than an advisory,
and is given in lieu of prosection.
Anyone, even Singaporean, can be given a police
warning. But in the case of foreign workers, getting a police
warning means they will have to be repatriated to their home
countries.
WHY ARE THOSE REPATRIATED NOT GIVEN A TRIAL
OR CHARGED?
If the evidence was good enough to charge them in court, the
police would have done so. The question of whether there should be
a trial to moot.
WHY WOULD A PERSON INVESTIGATED FOR A
CRIMINAL OFFENCE NOT BE CHARGED IN COURT?
They are not prosecuted because of a variety of reasons. It
could be due to an age factor, or the mental state of each
individual for example. Sometimes, the prosecution might decide not
to proceed because the evidence is not clear cut.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
THE CHARGED
• 28 people have been charged
and are in remand.
• They faced accusations of
violence, damaged property, defying police orders and inciting
others to do so.
• Seven more were earlier
charged but their charges have since been withdrawn.
THE REPATRIATED
• 57 persons were sent back
to their home countries.
• The group includes four who
were originally charged but later acquitted. They were issued
police warnings and immigration removal orders.
• This group had knowing
joined or continued to participate in the riot, after being ordered
to disperse, or had impeded riot control and emergency rescue
operations.
THE ADVISED
• Around 200 persons will be
issued with formal police advisories but will be allowed to stay
and work here.
• They were physically
present at the riot.
• Their involvement was
passive and incidental.
News, The New Paper,
Saturday, December 21 2013, Pg 15
