Singapore is currently handling its inaugural extradition request from Indonesia concerning a businessman accused of corruption linked to a government project, as announced by the city-state’s law ministry on Monday.
Paulus Tannos is alleged to be involved in a corruption scandal related to the Indonesian government’s electronic identification card initiative, which reportedly resulted in losses amounting to approximately 2.3 trillion rupiah ($140.72 million), according to the Jakarta Globe.
Since 2021, Tannos has been on Indonesia’s wanted list for alleged crimes committed a decade prior, as stated by the country’s anti-corruption agency.
During a briefing on Monday, Singapore’s law and home affairs minister K Shanmugam revealed that Tannos was apprehended in January following Indonesia’s request made in December.
He is accused of conspiring with certain lawmakers and government officials to secure a contract for his company to produce ID cards at an inflated cost in exchange for kickbacks, as reported by the Indonesian investigative magazine Tempo.
It remains unclear how Tannos has reacted to the allegations, and Reuters was unable to obtain contact information for his legal counsel.
Requests for comments from Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency and immigration ministry went unanswered.
According to Singaporean authorities, Tannos holds permanent residency in Singapore and possesses a diplomatic passport from Guinea-Bissau; however, his diplomatic immunity is not acknowledged as he was not accredited by the foreign affairs ministry.
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The law ministry of Singapore indicated that it is collaborating closely with Indonesian officials and aims to expedite the extradition process, which could take around six months if Tannos does not contest it.
The extradition treaty between Singapore and Indonesia became effective in March of last year and can be applied retroactively to crimes committed up to 18 years ago, as reported by Singapore’s Straits Times.