CARLOS MANUEL DE SÃO VICENTE v PUBLIC PROSECUTOR

[2023] SGHC 143 High Court (General Division) 17 May 2023 HC/CM 50/2022

3 cases cited Cited by 1 case

Outcome

Application dismissed

“I therefore dismiss the application.”

Source: [2023] SGHC 143, High Court (General Division), decided 17 May 2023. Read directly from the judgment.

Key facts

Court	High Court (General Division)
Decided	17 May 2023
Judge	Vincent Hoong
Charges / claim	Criminal Procedure and Sentencing
Outcome	Application dismissed
Counsel	Attorney-General's Chambers, TSMP Law Corporation, Alan Loh, Daniel Ling, Eric Hu, Neo Zhi Wei Eugene, Phoon Wuei, Thio Shen Yi

Source: [2023] SGHC 143, High Court (General Division), decided 17 May 2023 — eLitigation. Updated 10 July 2026.

Catchwords

Criminal Procedure and Sentencing — Police — Power to investigate — s 35 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010

Practice Areas

Criminal Procedure and Sentencing

Judges (1)

Vincent Hoong Delivered

Counsel (8)

Attorney-General's Chambers Firm TSMP Law Corporation Firm

Alan Loh Counsel for the respondent

Daniel Ling Counsel for the respondent Eric Hu Counsel for the respondent

Neo Zhi Wei Eugene Counsel for the applicant

Phoon Wuei Counsel for the applicant Thio Shen Yi Counsel for the applicant

Parties (2)

Public Prosecutor Respondent

Carlos Manuel De São Vicente Applicant

Case Significance

Carlos Manuel De Sao Vicente v Public Prosecutor [2023] SGHC 143 is a reserved judgment of Vincent Hoong J in the General Division of the High Court, delivered on 17 May 2023 in Criminal Motion No 50 of 2022. The applicant, a man who at the peak of his wealth had amassed a fortune of more than a billion US dollars as the majority shareholder of a leading co-insurance firm in Angola's oil industry, had been convicted of tax offences and money laundering by the Angolan courts and described his prosecution as politically motivated. The motion concerns the police power to investigate under s 35 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010.

Summary

Carlos Manuel De São Vicente, an Angolan businessman convicted of tax offences and money laundering in Angola, applied under s 35 of the Criminal Procedure Code for the release of funds from his Bank of Singapore account, seized by the Commercial Affairs Department and holding more than USD558 million, to pay his legal expenses. The court held that release of the seized funds was unnecessary given assets available in Switzerland and Angola, and dismissed the application.

What was Carlos Manuel De Sao Vicente v Public Prosecutor [2023] SGHC 143 about?

Vincent Hoong J heard a criminal motion by Carlos Manuel De Sao Vicente, a former billionaire and majority shareholder of an Angolan oil-industry co-insurance firm, concerning the police power to investigate under s 35 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010.

What legal question did Carlos Manuel De Sao Vicente v Public Prosecutor [2023] SGHC 143 raise?

The motion raised the scope of the police power to investigate under s 35 of the Criminal Procedure Code 2010, in the context of an applicant who had been convicted of tax offences and money laundering by the Angolan courts.