Man fled Singapore on fishing boat to avoid jail, caught at Changi Airport more than 20 years later
Despite being wanted by the authorities, Tan Khi Wie returned to Singapore several times using Indonesian passports under the false identity "Ken Srona".
A Singaporean man, Tan Khi Wie, evaded the law by fleeing the country illegally on a fishing boat over 20 years ago to dodge a jail sentence, only to be apprehended at Changi Airport recently. The 58-year-old was sentenced to 14 months and three weeks in prison after being found guilty of six charges under the Immigration Act and Penal Code.
The Singapore Police Force and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) jointly announced the arrest, stating that Tan tried to clear immigration at Changi Airport using an Indonesian passport under the name Ken Srona. Immigration officials realized his true identity and alerted the police, who detained him. Tan had previously been convicted of cheating in August 2002, leading him to file an appeal and subsequently flee Singapore.
He traveled across Southeast Asia, ultimately living in Indonesia. Despite being sought by authorities, Tan returned to Singapore multiple times, using false identities, including Ken Srona, to enter and exit the country. He falsely claimed in immigration documents that he had never used a different passport to enter Singapore. This led to additional charges against him.
The ICA has implemented enhanced immigration processes, including biometric systems, to combat identity fraud and safeguard the nation's borders.
Written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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