In essence, a voluntary surrender is going to the police to confess to a crime you’ve dedicated, instead of waiting for the police to find and arrest you.

What Transpires When You Voluntarily Surrender to your Police?
The procedures you may face once you voluntarily surrender into the police are similar to in the event you were arrested.

The steps taken in opposition to you count largely on irrespective of whether you’ve dedicated an arrestable or non-arrestable offence.

Arrestable offences seek advice from offences that allow the law enforcement to help make an arrest with out a warrant, and include things like offences like theft, robbery and rape. The guideline is usually that offences which can be punishable with not less than 3 several years of imprisonment, or simply a Loss of life sentence, are categorised as arrestable.

On the flip side, a non-arrestable offence is a single wherever the police will need to acquire a warrant before finishing up an arrest. Offences that tumble below this group are voluntarily producing hurt and dishonest misappropriation of residence, among the Other individuals.

Should you have committed an arrestable offence
For those who have fully commited an arrestable offence, the law enforcement will adhere to an arrest treatment that commences with taking you into custody soon after your voluntary surrender.

The law enforcement will then launch an investigation, which entails getting witness statements. Alternatively, you may have to produce a detect assertion When the police decides to go in advance with urgent costs.

You might be needed to have a polygraph (or lie detector) check or engage in an identification parade, where you are lined up with other people to allow victims and eyewitnesses to establish you, in addition.

Ideally, you need to be somewhat perfectly-versed together with your rights in custody, like the ideal to make a cellphone phone to All your family members or to refer to an attorney (offered that these functions will not likely inhibit the investigation). Having said that, it's important to note that the suitable to refer to an attorney typically arises only right after interrogations are already executed.

For more info, you may want to make reference to our write-up on law enforcement custody in Singapore.

Should you have fully commited a non-arrestable offence
During this scenario, even When you have turned oneself in on the law enforcement, you won't be taken into custody promptly.

In its place, the law enforcement will gather witness reports and document any events concerned. Any attainable target(s) of your respective offence might be encouraged to file a Justice of the peace’s Criticism for further more action to be taken.

Once the Complaint continues to be obtained, the Magistrate will then choose exactly what the best suited system of motion might be. It is just at this stage that a warrant is often issued to acquire you into law enforcement custody, Should the Magistrate directs the law enforcement to perform an investigation in the Criticism.

Is Building a Voluntary Surrender a Mitigating Variable?
Voluntarily surrendering into the law enforcement demonstrates a willingness to cooperate and implies probable regret and repentance. Your surrender would also enable the law enforcement to take a position their time and assets into other investigations.

This might Engage in a component inside the decide’s selection and you might be offered a lighter sentence for the degree of cooperation.

Case study: No jail term after voluntary surrender
In 2018, then 24-year-aged Ekawit Tangtrakarn, been given a $six,000 high-quality for defaulting on his Nationwide Provider (NS) responsibilities.

Though Ekawit largely lived in Thailand, he was registered as being a Singapore Citizen – making him liable for NS. In Oct 2015, he shed his Singaporean citizenship immediately after failing to go ahead and take Oath of Renunciation, Allegiance and Loyalty in 12 months of his 21st birthday.

Nevertheless, losing his Singaporean citizenship didn't decrease him of his NS obligations, and Ekawit later on voluntarily returned to Singapore to experience his expenses for defaulting on them. His voluntary return Therefore held excess weight as a mitigating variable.

As a result, once the Top criminal lawyer courtroom took other mitigating aspects into account, what could have been a most three-12 months imprisonment phrase along with a $10,000 great, staying the utmost penalties underneath the Enlistment Act, became a possible nine-7 days jail phrase that was eventually lessened to your $6,000 good.

Having your rates taken into account to the functions of sentencing

When it comes to your conviction and you simply are experiencing several costs, voluntarily admitting to your offences also helps prevent the problem from the prosecution proceeding with Just about every cost towards you independently. This permits for the potential of you getting these types of prices taken into consideration for sentencing instead.

Subsequently, you could possibly confront fewer prices or possibly a decreased sentence as compared to when you had been to deny or dispute the charges.

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Voluntarily surrendering to your police may establish for being helpful afterwards within your case. Your admission on your crime can be properly-obtained and do the job with your favour, decreasing your punishment noticeably.

Should you be nonetheless Doubtful on how to carry on, it is possible to engage a prison defence attorney to hunt tips on your situation, as well as make clear your rights. A seasoned law firm will be able to most effective put together you on What to anticipate if you turn yourself in and the way to deal with any investigations performed towards you.