Criminal Procedure / Investigations
Investigations
Investigations are typically commenced when a Police Report, also known as a First Information Report, is lodged. This includes Police Reports lodged via the Police’s “999” hotline and those lodged at the various Police Stations around Singapore. Upon receiving the First Information Report, an Investigation Officer (“IO”) will be assigned to the case.
The Police’s investigative process typically involves recording statements from witness(es) and suspect(s) and seizing and analysing relevant evidence from the involved parties. Whether the suspect(s) is/are arrested at that point depend on whether the suspected offence is arrestable or non-arrestable. The Police possesses wide investigative powers. These includes,
Ordering from any relevant party the production of documents of any other things considered “necessary or desirable” for the investigations (s 20(1), CPC). This also includes customer information kept by a financial institution (s 20(2), CPC);
If the Investigating Officer has reason to believe that the person may not comply with the order under s 20(1) of the CPC, he may conduct searches on people and/or places for that particular document (s 34, CPC);
Seize any property in respect of which an offence is suspected to have been committed, is suspected to have been used or intended to be used to commit an offence, or is suspected to constitute evidence of the offence (s 35(1), CPC); and
Record statements from any person whom he believes to be in possession of some knowledge on the facts and circumstances of the case under investigation (s 22(1), CPC). This includes both witnesses and suspects;
The witnesses and/or suspects may also be asked to undergo a polygraph examination (also known as a lie detector test). It is important to note that the Police cannot compel anyone to undergo this examination, and that the results of this examination is not admissible as evidence in court. Instead, it gives the Investigation Officer general guidance on whether a witness or suspect is “probably truthful” or “probably untruthful”.
There is no fixed amount of time in which the investigations need to be concluded by. Accordingly, the investigative process can last anywhere between a few weeks to several years. This depends on, amongst other things, the complexity of the case and how easily the witnesses can be identified and contacted.