Singapore working with Indonesia on extraditing fugitive businessman: Shanmugam

Singapore has received a request from Indonesia to extradite a fugitive businessman over corruption charges, the first such request since a treaty between both countries came into force.

Paulus Tannos, also known as Tjhin Thian Po, is an Indonesian businessman in his 60s who was arrested here on Jan 17 over his alleged involvement in a corruption case in Indonesia.

Indonesia put in a formal extradition request on Feb 24, said the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) in a statement on March 10.

The extradition treaty between Singapore and Indonesia took effect on March 21, 2024. It grants extradition for a list of offences, including corruption, money laundering and bribery, and can be retrospectively applied to crimes committed up to 18 years ago.

Tannos has been implicated in a major graft scandal involving the Indonesian government’s electronic ID card or e-KTP project, allegedly causing state losses of about 2.3 trillion rupiah (S$187 million).

He was the president and director of Shandipala Arthaputra, a technology company awarded a contract to produce part of the e-ID cards.

He has reportedly been on Indonesia’s fugitive list since Oct 19, 2021, and is believed to have been living in Singapore since 2017.

During a press conference on March 10 about the extradition request, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam said Singapore takes the matter very seriously, and that the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) will try to expedite the process.

Tannos has lawyered up and intends to contest the extradition, Mr Shanmugam said, adding that the process may take two years or more.

Under the Extradition Act, fugitives can give consent to their extradition and waive extradition proceedings.

This is in line with international practice, to save state resources and prevent the fugitive from being detained longer than necessary in Singapore.

Mr Shanmugam said: “If Tannos doesn’t contest his extradition, he can be extradited in six months, maybe even less.

“But he has told the court that he will not consent to the extradition, and that he will in fact be contesting the extradition.”

The minister said the process will take longer as a result.

He said: “Tannos has a team of lawyers. He is also entitled to apply for bail.

“He will also, of course, ask for time to prepare his case. And if the court does order the extradition, he is entitled to appeal.”

Mr Shanmugam said extradition hearings vary from case to case, but if it is complicated and contested at every step of the way, it can take two years or maybe even longer.

The extradition case in Singapore with the longest legal process so far took about two years.

It involved two brothers from India, Avanish Kumar Jha and Rajnish Kumar Jha, who were arrested in Singapore in April 2023, and were extradited to the US in February 2025 to face charges relating to the sale of drugs there.

There has been much speculation by the Indonesian media with regard to Tannos’ case, with some questioning why it is taking so long for him to be extradited even though he has already been arrested, and the two countries have a standing treaty.

Asked about this, Mr Shanmugam said the Singapore authorities have been working closely with their Indonesian counterparts, but it will still take time.

Singapore received a provisional arrest request from Indonesia on Dec 19, 2024.

Mr Shanmugam said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) and the AGC found the request fell within the framework of the extradition treaty.

So CPIB applied for and obtained an arrest warrant for Tannos from the court on Jan 17.

He was arrested that day and has been remanded without bail since.

At his Jan 23 extradition hearing, Tannos said through his lawyers that he has a diplomatic passport from the West African country of Guinea-Bissau.

But the State Counsel had said then that this did not grant him diplomatic immunity as he was not accredited with Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The judge had asked Tannos if he wished to consent to surrender to the foreign state.

Tannos replied that he was willing to go to Guinea-Bissau.

When the judge reminded him that the foreign state was Indonesia, he said he was unwilling to be sent there.

Tannos’ lawyers had also requested a bail hearing, citing his medical condition, which was not elaborated on in court.

On Feb 24, Singapore received a formal extradition request and supporting documents from Indonesia.

Tannos’ last scheduled court hearing was on March 7, but he was in hospital.

He has been scheduled for another mention on March 13, and a bail review on March 19.

Mr Shanmugam said on March 10 that in cases where a person enters Singapore with a false or illegitimate passport, they can be sent back quite quickly.

But Tannos had entered Singapore with a valid passport, and so it was not a matter of simply sending him back.

He said: “It is not like we can just put him on a plane and send him back. There are formal processes.”

He noted that Tannos’ lawyers said they would follow up with regard to the issue of his diplomatic passport, but so far have not done so.

On March 10, MinLaw said: “The Singapore Government is fully committed to combating crime and upholding our role as a responsible extradition partner. The Singapore Government is taking the case very seriously, and will do all possible under the law to facilitate the request for Tannos’ extradition.”

Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction.

Singaporean charged with US$230 million Bitcoin theft blows US$500,000 a night in clubs; gives designer bags to models, influencers