Father who allegedly left learning disabled son, 11, in Singapore could face extradition
45-year-old was arrested in Choi Hung last Friday after son, who uses sign language, was found wandering alone along promenade
PUBLISHED : Thursday, 31 July, 2014, 6:21pm
UPDATED : Thursday, 31 July, 2014, 6:21pm
Clifford Lo [email protected]
The 11-year-old boy was found wandering alone along Marina Bay in Singapore last week. Photo: Reuters
Hong Kong police are negotiating with their Singaporean counterparts over the possible extradition of the father of an 11-year-old boy with learning difficulties who was found wandering alone in Singapore last week.
Police sources believe the 45-year-old Hong Kong man, arrested at his home on Friday two days after the boy was found, could be extradited to Singapore to face trial if there is insufficient evidence to prosecute him in Hong Kong.
While negotiations continue with the Singapore Police Force through the police’s liaison bureau, detectives are also seeking legal advice from the Department of Justice over whether the 45-year-old father – who has not been charged – could be tried in Hong Kong.
Related child abuse offences carry the same maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment under the legal system in both Hong Kong and Singapore.
The boy, who uses sign language and has learning difficulties, was found wandering alone along the Marina Bay promenade in Singapore on Monday night last week, allegedly hours after arriving with his father.
The father arrived back to Hong Kong on Wednesday last week.
Singapore police made a public appeal for help to find his next of kin as the boy did not respond to efforts to get personal details from him.
After days of investigation, they called on police in Hong Kong to help with the search.
Last Friday night, officers arrested the man at his home in Ping Shek Estate, Choi Hung. He has been released on bail and will report back to the police in August.
“The alleged offence was plotted in Hong Kong and the boy was taken to Singapore from here,” a Hong Kong police source said. “Under these circumstances, the suspect should be tried in court in Hong Kong for ill treatment of a child.”
Meanwhile, authorities in both cities are making arrangements to send the boy back to Hong Kong. The Department of Justice is understood to have offered the Social Welfare Department help to prepare legal documents.
“The boy is safe and sound, and has been placed under the care of the Ministry of Social and Family Development,” a Singapore police statement said.
“Arrangements will be made to return the boy to his place of origin as soon as possible.”
Officers from the Kowloon East regional crime unit and social workers are expected to fly to Singapore to bring the boy back to the city, according to another source.
The boy has an older brother and his parents are divorced, according to reports. His father remarried and that couple had a daughter three years ago.
His mother’s whereabouts are still unknown, according to police.
The boy recently left a dormitory school for children with learning difficulties to return home for summer holidays.
