EXCLUSIVE
An Australian restauranteur facing brutal corporal punishment in Singapore for an alleged armed robbery has been returned to custody to undergo a mental health assessment as the business he ran abruptly closed.
Jose Manuel Pacheco, 39, could be beaten 12 times with a 1.2-metre rattan stick after allegedly threatening a 31-year-old female clerk with a knife at lender Accredit Private Limited in Tampines district on June 4.
He allegedly fled the scene with more than $6,000, but was arrested a short time later after police spotted him loitering in the area.
Father-of-two Pacheco, originally from Perth, was due to appear in court in Singapore on July 2 after being granted US$20,000 (AU$22,340) bail in June.
According to Singapore media reports, the prosecutor requested during the court hearing that Pacheco be returned to the Institute of Mental Health for psychiatric evaluation.
Pacheco’s lawyer had no objection and explained the application to him.
The judge approved the prosecutor’s request to have Pacheco attend the facility, which provides a range of “psychiatric, rehabilitation and counseling services,” according to its website.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to a later date.
Australian citizen Jose Manuel Pacheco (pictured) has been charged over an alleged armed robbery in Singapore
If convicted, he could receive twelve lashes. Pictured is a prison officer at Singapore’s Changi Prison demonstrating the beating of a mannequin
The update comes as Daily Mail Australia can reveal that premium Spanish restaurant chain Pacheco, which operated in Singapore, has now permanently closed.
Tapas Club, which operated three locations in the Asian city, has permanently closed all stores and deactivated its website.
The company also cleared its social media accounts of posts and photos, without making any formal announcement about its shutdown.
It is unclear whether the closure is related to Pacheco’s arrest as many Singaporean hospitality businesses have closed in recent months due to economic pressures.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted dPlus1, the parent company of Tapas Clubs, for comment.
Singapore police allege Pacheco was wearing a disguise – a mask and cap – when he confronted the worker at about 1.40pm on June 4 and demanded she put S$6,095 (AU$6,810) in a bag.
The female clerk remained calm and took careful note of the alleged robber’s appearance and clothing so she could relay the information to police.
Based on the victim’s description, police arrested Pacheco half an hour later for allegedly lurking near the crime scene and watching investigators without a disguise.
He was confronted by an officer and confessed to armed robbery.
Singapore police will allege he stole from the Accredit Money Lender (pictured) in Tampines district
The items Pacheco is said to have used are pictured
Pacheco allegedly stole S$6,095 (AU$6,810) according to Singapore police (pictured)
The officers approached Pacheco, who police said did not know how to answer their questions before eventually admitting to the armed robbery.
Singaporean police will allege the Australian chef thought he could fly under the radar as he watched the investigation unfold after taking off his mask and cap.
Yimeng, a manager at a nearby store, said local media police came in to request CCTV footage before officers began searching the area for the alleged perpetrator.
He said officers arrested Pacheco after spotting him sitting on a staircase next to his store.
“The man they saw was sitting on the stairs, facing the crime scene, looking as if he was watching the police handle the case,” he told Zaobao.
‘He spoke to the police in Malay. He was fatter than the average person, had long hair and a beard.
“Although he had taken off his mask and hat, he still could not escape the investigators who were closely monitoring his surroundings.”
Police confiscated the knife allegedly used in the robbery and confiscated all the money.
Singapore has low crime rates due to its strict penalties for criminal activities, consistently ranking the Asian country among the safest countries in the world.
In Singapore, individuals can be sentenced to caning for more than 30 crimes, including kidnapping, theft, sexual abuse, drug abuse, rioting, vandalism, extortion and unlawful possession of weapons.
Pacheco, originally from Perth, has lived and worked in Singapore in recent years
Before his arrest in June, he worked as head of the Tapas Club in Singapore
Caning is mandatory for certain crimes, such as rape, drug trafficking and illegal money lending, and for foreigners who overstay their visa validity by more than 90 days.
The punishment, which is only imposed on men, is handed down in prison by a trained prison guard while the perpetrator is naked, bent over and held in a wooden frame – resulting in bloody cuts to the buttocks.
If convicted, Pacheco, who has been charged with one count of armed robbery, faces a prison sentence of three to 14 years and at least 12 strokes of the cane.
According to his LinkedIn account, the West Australian has worked in the hospitality industry since the age of 14 and has lived and worked in Singapore in recent years.
He also previously served as head of Yole Café in Singapore, and as general manager at Heart of Darkness Brewery in Vietnam.
“My work and personal life revolve around the positive impact I can make on someone, creating a lasting memory and leaving a legacy,” Pacheco wrote in his biography on his now-deactivated LinkedIn page.
“This translates well into my professional life, as one of my main focuses is creating a personal connection between the company I represent and the clients we care for.”
Last year, Tapas Club Singapore shared an enthusiastic post about Pacheco, with a photo of him serving a plate to a customer at the buffet.
‘When our very own Tapas Club chef, Jose, steps out to serve you, you know it’s a special day!’ the company writes on Facebook.
Another post on the restaurant’s Facebook page describes Pacheco as “the maestro behind Tapas Club” and a father of two who combines his “passion for hospitality with family life.”