Section 424 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010 imposes a legal duty to every person who is aware of the commission of or the intention of any other person to commit any arrestable offence punishable under a wide range of offences listed here. The said person must, immediately give information to the officer in charge of the nearest police station or to a police officer of the commission or intention.

Unless there is a ‘reasonable excuse’, the legal duty is one that is unwavering. What would fall within the definition of ‘reasonable excuse’ is to be determined on a factual and case-to-case basis, as it will depend on the facts presented and unique circumstances of each case.

Presently, there is no requirement to obtain consent before making a police report. Hence, police reports can be made by any person, and not only the victim or the accused. The police are trained to handle cases professionally and with utmost confidentiality.

In a reported case, the police issued a written advisory to a man who did not report sexual abuse that was made known to him. The situation eventually escalated, and a report was finally made in 2021 to the police, which is around 15 years after the date of the first sexual abuse incident (some time in 2005). The offender, who is a member of Catholic order in Singapore was sentenced to five years’ jail for committing unlawful sexual acts with two teenage boys.

For more information, please contact our Ray Louis, criminal lawyer in Singapore at 90908288.