Canadian David Roach can be extradited to Singapore to face bank robbery charges, British court decides

British government will now decide whether to send Roach to Singapore where he is wanted for robbing a Standard Chartered bank in 2016 and money laundering

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Security camera footage shows Canadian bank robbery suspect David Roach as he arrives at an airport in Bangkok. Image: EPA

Published: 2:48pm, 30 Aug 2018Updated: 2:48pm, 30 Aug 2018

A British court has ruled a man suspected of carrying out a rare bank robbery in Singapore can be extradited after the city state promised he will not be caned, officials said on Thursday.

The government in London will now make the final decision on whether David Roach, a Canadian citizen, will be sent to the city state to face justice, Singapore’s attorney general’s office and interior ministry said.

Roach is wanted in Singapore for allegedly stealing Sg$30,000 (US$22,000) from a Standard Chartered bank branch in 2016 after strolling in and presenting a threatening note.

He fled to Bangkok, where he was jailed on charges related to bringing the stolen cash into Thailand but authorities refused to send him to Singapore as the countries do not have an extradition treaty.

After his release, he was detained in January at London’s Heathrow Airport while in transit en route to Canada, and Singapore requested that he be deported to the city state. Singapore and Britain have an extradition treaty.

The British court decided on Wednesday “that the requirements for Singapore’s extradition request under UK law have been met”, said the attorney general’s office and interior ministry.