SINGAPORE: Singapore lawyer Charles Yeo, who faces an extradition hearing in the UK, remains in custody despite being granted bail.
Yeo, 34, appeared at Westminster Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday (Dec 10), as his lawyers attempted to secure his release on bail.
Last month, he was granted conditional bail by the court, with one of the key conditions being the surrender of his passport.
However, there have been difficulties confirming that the UK Home Office has his passport.
Yeo’s lawyers on Tuesday were unable to produce evidence that he was no longer in possession of his passport, which they claim is with the Home Office.
The defence lawyers suggested that Yeo could follow stricter bail conditions instead of producing confirmation of the whereabouts of his passport.
This included paying a higher bond, which is currently set at £75,000 (US$95,700), or having Yeo report more frequently to a police station.
These suggestions were rejected by the court. The judge said the proof of the passport’s whereabouts must be met.
Last week, Yeo’s lawyers asked the Singapore High Commission in London to cancel his passport.
On Tuesday, the lawyer told the court that the High Commission had informed them that such an application needs to be made in person – something Yeo cannot do while being held in custody.
His lawyers stated that they would be making an application to the court for a witness summons. If granted, this would compel the Home Office to respond or attend court to explain why they cannot produce evidence of his passport.
Yeo’s full extradition hearing has been set for May next year.
Singapore’s Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) told CNA last month that Singapore had sent a request to the UK seeking Yeo’s extradition.
This was for an offence of abetment of cheating, in which funds were released to his law firm that constituted a settlement sum for his client’s claim.
According to UK court documents, this purportedly took place between Jul 29, 2020 and Nov 30, 2020.
Yeo was then arrested in the UK on Nov 4.
The former chairman of the Reform Party was handed six charges in Singapore in January 2022:
- One count of uttering words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of another under the Penal Code
- Two counts of attempting to utter words with deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of another under the Penal Code
- Three counts of making abusive, threatening or insulting communication towards a public servant under the Protection from Harassment Act
In August 2022, a Singapore district court issued a warrant of arrest for Yeo after he breached the conditions for overseas travel while on bail.
He was given permission to travel to Vietnam for work, but he failed to return to Singapore and claimed he was seeking “political asylum” in the UK.
The UK government said that it does not comment on individual cases. It is unclear if Yeo was granted political asylum.
Yeo also told an investigation officer that he did not intend to return to Singapore. In March 2023, the warrant of arrest was extended by the Singapore court.
Additional reporting by Stuart Smith.