The Kidnapping Act 1961 is a statute in Singapore that criminalizes the illegal abduction, wrongful restraints and wrongful confinement of any person for ransom. The law is designed specifically to make acts of knowingly seeking and receiving ransom in connection with the kidnap of any person a criminal offence.
Overview
Legislative history Originally entitled as Punishment for Kidnapping Ordinance 1961, the bill for this ordinance was tabled to the Legislative Assembly of Singapore on 26 April 1961, and was passed by the assembly on 24 May without amendment. The bill's contents were also published to the public on 6 May that year. The Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yusof Ishak gave his assent to the bill on 30 May and the ordinance became effective on 2 June 1961. The ordinance was then revised and renamed as the Kidnapping Act in 1970.
Legal provisions The Kidnapping Act defines the punishment to be meted out for different scenarios of violations, and serves as an instrument for imprisoning and caning of offenders. The abduction, wrongful restraint or wrongful confinement for ransom is primarily subjected to a mandatory minimum penalty of life imprisonment, plus caning, and a maximum of capital punishment. The Act also prescribes punishment for accomplices and individuals that consort with offenders and kidnappers, such as those that receive ransoms and negotiate for ransoms. The Act empowers the Public Prosecutor to freeze bank accounts and order the inspection of books, accounts, receipts, vouchers or other documents, and to obtain information as well as intercepting communication. The Act expresses that it is the duty of any person in the know to give information on kidnapping acts to the police, and such a person may also be found guilty and subjected to a fine and imprisonment if he or she fails in doing so.
Uses of the Act
In the mid-2010s, kidnap scams were more proliferate in Singapore than the actual act of kidnapping itself. The Singapore Police Force has set up the Scam Alert web service that keeps Singaporeans informed on the latest scams such as kidnapping scams.
See also Kidnapping Kidnapping Act 1961 (Malaysia) Singapore Police Force
References
External links KIDNAPPING ACT 1961