"We are doing our best in bringing him back to Indonesia," he said here on Thursday.
Last June 30, Mohammad Nazaruddin, was named a suspect in a bribery case in connection with an athletes` village project in Jakabaring, Palembang. Unfortunately Nazaruddin had left for and stayed in Singapore a day before he had been declared a suspect.
However, recent official statement from Singapore`s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Nazaruddin is not in Singapore anymore.
The statement was made in the Singapore foreign ministry`s official website http://www.mfa.gov.sg.
"Mr Nazaruddin is no longer in Singapore and has not been here for some time. This information was conveyed to the Indonesian authorities several weeks ago, long before he was named a suspect by Indonesia`s Corruption Eradication Commission on 30 June 2011."
"Singapore has always been willing to cooperate with Indonesian law enforcement authorities on this and other cases, but since Mr Nazaruddin had not been charged with any crime or even named as a suspect at the time he was in Singapore and had a valid Indonesian passport, there was no reason to stop him from entering or leaving the country."
Asked about Nazaruddin`s present whereabouts, the spokesman said: "I do not know as we do not track people after they leave Singapore. The Indonesian authorities were informed of his destination at time of departure which is all the information we had."
The spokesman added "The question of extradition does not arise. Mr Nazaruddin had not been charged with any crime or even named as a suspect at the time he was in Singapore."
(T.R018/A051/A/H-NG)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
