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New Paper
5 days ago
- New Paper
Audrey Fang case: Spanish judge blocks suspect's deportation to S'pore over death penalty concerns
An attempt by Spanish immigration authorities to deport Mitchell Ong, the suspect in the fatal stabbing of fellow Singaporean Audrey Fang in Spain, was blocked by a local court over death penalty concerns. As such, it is unlikely for the 44-year-old to face the death penalty if charged with murder, as a murder charge in Spain carries a jail sentence ranging from 15 years to 25 years. News of the deportation request being blocked was first reported by Spanish daily La Opinion de Murcia on May 28. The deportation request was made by Spain's General Commissariat for Aliens and Borders, a national police agency that manages immigration and border control matters, and was supported by the lawyer representing Ms Fang's family. However, a judge ruled that Ong did not meet the criteria outlined in Spain's laws pertaining to the expulsion of foreigners, one of which states that immediate deportation can take place if an individual has been charged with a crime and is given a jail sentence of fewer than six years, or given an alternate sentencing, such as a fine. As the minimum jail sentence for Ong's potential murder charge is 15 years, he does not meet this criterion. Ong's lawyer, Ms Maria Jesus Ruiz de Castaneda, had told The Straits Times earlier in May that she is opposing the request. If the deportation had gone through, the Spanish immigration authority had also requested that Ong be banned from returning to Spain for 10 years. Ms Ruiz de Castaneda had also earlier told Spanish media that an expulsion would be a violation of the rule of law and international treaties Spain has signed and ratified. "He is involved in ongoing criminal proceedings in Spain, where he must be tried with due process," she said. "Expulsion would be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights, the principle of non-refoulement and Spain's commitments against the death penalty." She had previously called for the case to be dismissed, saying all necessary evidence had to be examined and that Ong "firmly and consistently" insisted he did not kill Ms Fang. The 39-year-old architect was found dead near a parking lot for lorries in the town of Abanilla on April 10, 2024. She left Singapore on April 4 to travel alone to Xabia in the Valencia region of Spain, and was supposed to return eight days later, but became uncontactable on April 10. Her body was found with knife wounds and head trauma. Ong was arrested six days later. Testimonies from two of Ms Fang's friends on June 26, 2024, said that Ms Fang and Ong had met on a social dating network, with her family's lawyer saying that she had told her friends she was meeting the former insurance agent during her holiday in Spain. In March, La Opinion reported that DNA from two men was found on her clothes, raising the possibility that more than one person was involved in her death. Ong meanwhile was also found to have been nominated as the sole beneficiary of Ms Fang's Central Provident Fund savings, with the accounts reportedly containing about $498,000. ST has contacted the Ministry of Home Affairs for comment.
AsiaOne
5 days ago
- AsiaOne
Audrey Fang case: Spanish judge blocks suspect's deportation to S'pore over death penalty concerns, Singapore News
SINGAPORE — An attempt by Spanish immigration authorities to deport Mitchell Ong, the suspect in the fatal stabbing of fellow Singaporean Audrey Fang in Spain, was blocked by a local court over death penalty concerns. Thus, it is unlikely that the 44-year-old will face the death penalty if charged with murder, as a murder charge in Spain carries a jail sentence ranging from 15 years to 25 years. News of the deportation request being blocked was first reported by Spanish daily La Opinion de Murcia on May 28. The deportation request was made by Spain's General Commissariat for Aliens and Borders, a national police agency that manages immigration and border control matters, and was supported by the lawyer representing Ms Fang's family. However, a judge ruled that Ong did not meet the criteria outlined in Spain's laws pertaining to the expulsion of foreigners, one of which states that immediate deportation can take place if an individual has been charged with a crime and is given a jail sentence of fewer than six years, or is given an alternate sentence, such as a fine. As the minimum jail sentence for Ong's potential murder charge is 15 years, he does not meet this criterion. Ong's lawyer, Ms Maria Jesus Ruiz de Castaneda, had told The Straits Times earlier in May that she is opposing the request. If the deportation had gone through, the Spanish immigration authority had also requested that Ong be banned from returning to Spain for 10 years. Ms Ruiz de Castaneda had earlier told Spanish media that an expulsion would be a violation of the rule of law and international treaties Spain has signed and ratified. "He is involved in ongoing criminal proceedings in Spain, where he must be tried with due process," she said. "Expulsion would be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights, the principle of non-refoulement and Spain's commitments against the death penalty." She had previously called for the case to be dismissed, saying that all necessary evidence had to be examined and that Ong "firmly and consistently" insisted he did not kill Ms Fang. Ms Fang, a 39-year-old architect, was found dead near a carpark for lorries in the town of Abanilla on April 10, 2024. She left Singapore on April 4 to travel alone to Xabia in the Valencia region of Spain, and was supposed to return eight days later, but became uncontactable on April 10. Her body was found with knife wounds and head trauma. Ong was arrested six days later. Testimonies from two of Ms Fang's friends on June 26, 2024, said Ms Fang and Ong had met on a social dating network. Her family's lawyer said she had told her friends she was meeting the former insurance agent during her holiday in Spain. In March, La Opinion reported that DNA from two men was found on her clothes, raising the possibility that more than one person was involved in her death. Ong, meanwhile, was also found to have been nominated as the sole beneficiary of Ms Fang's Central Provident Fund savings, with the accounts reportedly containing about $498,000. ST has contacted the Ministry of Home Affairs for comment. [[nid:714914]] This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction.
Singapore Law Watch
5 days ago
- Singapore Law Watch
Audrey Fang case: Spanish judge blocks suspect's deportation to S'pore over death penalty concerns
Audrey Fang case: Spanish judge blocks suspect's deportation to S'pore over death penalty concerns Source: Straits Times Article Date: 29 May 2025 Author: Aqil Hamzah As such, it is unlikely for the 44-year-old to face the death penalty if charged with murder, as a murder charge in Spain carries a jail sentence ranging from 15 years to 25 years. An attempt by Spanish immigration authorities to deport Mitchell Ong, the suspect in the fatal stabbing of fellow Singaporean Audrey Fang in Spain, was blocked by a local court over death penalty concerns. As such, it is unlikely for the 44-year-old to face the death penalty if charged with murder, as a murder charge in Spain carries a jail sentence ranging from 15 years to 25 years. News of the deportation request being blocked was first reported by Spanish daily La Opinion de Murcia on May 28. The deportation request was made by Spain's General Commissariat for Aliens and Borders, a national police agency that manages immigration and border control matters, and was supported by the lawyer representing Ms Fang's family. However, a judge ruled that Ong did not meet the criteria outlined in Spain's laws pertaining to the expulsion of foreigners, one of which states that immediate deportation can take place if an individual has been charged for a crime with a jail sentence fewer than six years, or given an alternate sentencing, such as a fine. Ong's lawyer, Ms Maria Jesus Ruiz de Castaneda, had told The Straits Times earlier in May that she is opposing the request. If the deportation had gone through, the Spanish immigration authority had also requested that Ong be banned from returning to Spain for 10 years. Ms Ruiz de Castaneda had also earlier told Spanish media that an expulsion would be a violation of the rule of law and international treaties Spain has signed and ratified. 'He is involved in ongoing criminal proceedings in Spain, where he must be tried with due process,' she said. 'Expulsion would be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights, the principle of non-refoulement and Spain's commitments against the death penalty.' She had previously called for the case to be dismissed, saying all necessary evidence had to be examined and that Ong 'firmly and consistently' insisted he did not kill Ms Fang. The 39-year-old architect was found dead near a parking lot for lorries in the town of Abanilla on April 10, 2024. She left Singapore on April 4 to travel alone to Xabia in the Valencia region of Spain, and was supposed to return eight days later, but became uncontactable on April 10. Her body was found with knife wounds and head trauma, and Ong was arrested six days later. Testimonies from two of Ms Fang's friends on June 26, 2024, said that Ms Fang and Ong had met on a social dating network, with her family's lawyer saying that she had told her friends she was meeting the former insurance agent during her holiday in Spain. In March, La Opinion reported that DNA from two men was found on her clothes, raising the possibility that more than one person was involved in her death. Ong meanwhile was also found to have been nominated as the sole beneficiary of Ms Fang's Central Provident Fund savings, with the accounts reportedly containing about $498,000. ST has contacted the Ministry of Home Affairs for comment. Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
CNA
02-05-2025
- CNA
Singaporean woman killed in Spain: Spanish police ask court to deport suspect to Singapore
SINGAPORE: Spain's immigration police have requested that a Singaporean man suspected of killing a compatriot in the country be deported to Singapore, local media reported on Friday (May 2). Mitchell Ong is suspected of killing Audrey Fong while she was on holiday in Spain. Her body was found with more than 30 stab wounds in April 2024. The Comisaría General de Extranjería y Fronteras, which is part of the Spanish National Police, requested that Ong be deported from the country as he was there illegally, Spanish media outlet La Verdad reported. It also asked that he be barred from re-entering the country for 10 years. The private prosecution representing Ms Fang's family has agreed with this deportation request, reported Spanish news site La Opinion de Murcia. In Spain, victims can hire lawyers to act as private prosecutors and they can bring evidence, request statements or call for charges, among other things. They are separate from the public prosecution. Ong is currently remanded in Sangonera prison in Murcia, reported La Opinion de Murcia. Defence lawyer Maria Jesus Ruiz de Castaneda opposed the deportation request and asked that it be suspended immediately, reported La Opinion de Murcia. Ong is involved in active criminal proceedings in Spain, where he must be judged with all due legal guarantees, argued the lawyer, stating that the extradition would represent an unacceptable evasion of the Spanish judicial process. She also said Ong's expulsion went against the European Convention on Human Rights. WHAT HAPPENED Ms Fang had been travelling alone in Spain when her body was found on Apr 10, 2024, near a parking area for lorries in the town of Abanilla. According to local media outlets, a preliminary autopsy report found that knife wounds and head trauma were the cause of her death. Ong was arrested days later after camera footage showed Ms Fang being picked up from her hotel in a car thought to be driven by him. He has yet to make a statement about the case. Both the Spanish public prosecutor's office and the private prosecution have asked that he be charged with murder. Ong and Ms Fang had known each other for more than 10 years and he was made a beneficiary of her Central Provident Fund (CPF) - a mandatory social security savings scheme - about six months before her death.
