Can a Singapore-registered nurse accused of killing a kitten in Bali be prosecuted in Singapore?

In recent news, a Singapore-registered nurse is being investigated by Indonesian police for allegedly stealing and strangling a six-week-old kitten at a dive resort in Bali. The resort where the incident occurred claims to have CCTV footage showing the man repeatedly visiting its office to look for the kitten, and eventually removing the kitten through an office window that he opened and taking it back to his room. The kitten was found dead the next morning, near the man’s room.

The resort has made a report to the relevant authorities and contacted those in Singapore. The man, who is accredited as a divemaster by several diving organisations, previously worked as a nurse at Sengkang General Hospital, but the hospital stated that he is no longer employed there and have informed the Singapore Nursing Board.

Johannes Hadi was queried on whether the man could be prosecuted in Singapore for his actions. He said that it would be difficult to prosecute the man in Singapore for his alleged act of cruelty to an animal, as the Animals and Birds Act 1965 only applies to offences committed in Singapore. However, he also pointed out that the man could be liable to explain his actions to the Singapore Nursing Board, as they will want to maintain public trust and confidence in the nursing profession.