Court frees four friends accused of kidnapping 'datuk'

The Chinese New Year celebration this year is more meaningful for four friends after they were freed of a charge of kidnapping a businessperson with the title of ‘datuk’ three years ago.

High Court judge Hassan Abdul Ghani made the decision today on Low Sing Hwa, 32, Tham Hock Ann, 39, Chong Yee Loon, 41, and Liew Chee Wei, 39.

Hassan, who heard the testimony of 29 prosecution witnesses during the trial, decided that the prosecution had failed to prove a prima facie case to call all the defendants to defend themselves against the accusation.

All the accused, who were dressed in white jail uniforms, appeared nonchalant when the decision was read.

They were charged with two others still at large with kidnapping businessperson Chin Yoke Choon, 56, for ransoms of S$5 million (RM15.2 million) and RM4 million on Dec 26, 2016, at the Hotel Sri Manja Boutique parking lot, in Bandar Indera Mahkota, Kuantan.

The offence is punishable under Section 3(1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961, which when read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, is punishable by death or life in prison and caning upon conviction.

Previously, it was reported that the victim, the executive director of a supermarket and property development companies, was reported to have been kidnapped by a group of men who wore police uniforms and drove a patrol car.

The victim was released in Genting Sampah, after 74 days of captivity, when his family paid up the ransoms in Singapore currency.

The accused were represented by lawyer S Raveentharan and Eng Yuh Pei, while deputy public prosecutor Shahrul Ekhsan Hasim appeared for the prosecution.

- Bernama