Faking own kidnap lands restaurant caretaker in court

A restaurant caretaker who faked his own kidnapping for ransom was put behind bars for a day and fined RM1,500 or another three months in prison by the Magistrate's Court here, today.

Magistrate Ahmad Solihin Abd Wahid passed the sentence on T. Logeswaran, 26, who pleaded guilty to committing the offence at the Pudu police station here, at 2.27pm on April 7.

According to the facts of the case, Logeswaran on April 7 at 9.30am, contacted his brother, T. Aravin, 23, through a new phone number claiming he had been kidnapped by four kidnappers for a ransom of RM60,000.

Their uncle J. Jayendra, 34, subsequently lodged a report prompting Insp Zulfadli Aizat Baharudin to conduct an investigation.

Earlier, deputy public prosecutor Noorelynna Hanim Abd Halim urged the court to impose an appropriate sentence in view of the seriousness of the offence, "in the interest of the public and as a lesson to the accused".

Counsel Noor Mousa Azaddin mitigating for a lighter sentence told the court that her client was desperate for money as he had to take care of his sick father.

Logeswaran paid the fine.