Two charged with kidnapping tycoon for RM19 mil ransom

Two men pleaded not guilty in the Magistrate's Court here today to kidnapping a businessman to secure RM19 million in ransom last year.

Low Sing Hwa, 29, and Tham Hock Ann, 36, nodded when the charges were read out to them in Mandarin before Magistrate Noor Zaihan Mohamad Ali.

They were charged, with three others still at large, with kidnapping and confining Datuk Chin Yoke Choon, 53, at 5.55pm on Dec 26, 2015, in the car park of the Seri Manja Boutique Hotel in Bandar Indera Mahkota here.

The charge, under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, provides for the death penalty, or life imprisonment and caning upon conviction.

Noor Zaihan set Jan 24 for mention.

At the end of last year, Datuk Chin, who is the executive director of a supermarket, property and construction company, was kidnapped by a group of men in police uniform in a 'patrol car'.

He was freed at Genting Sempah after being held for 74 days and when the family paid the ransom in Singapore currency.

Meanwhile, in the Sessions Court, Low and Tham pleaded not guilty to being members of the William Gang between January 2015 and Nov 11, 2016, in Kuantan, which is an offence under Section 130V(1) of the Penal Code.

They are liable to be jailed a maximum of 20 years each upon conviction.

Two of their accomplices, Choo Jia Lerk, 23, and Liew Chee Hwa, 29, pleaded not guilty to associating with the William Gang between April 2015 and Nov 11 this year.

They were charged under Section 130Y of the Penal Code which carries a maximum imprisonment of 20 years and a fine upon conviction.

DPP Muhamad Asyraf Md Kamal did not propose bail for all the accused, saying they were waiting for permission to transfer the case to the High Court.

Judge Siti Aminah Ghazali allowed the application and set Jan 24 for mention.

The prosecution was also represented by Pahang Prosecution director Faridz Gohim Abdullah while all the accused were represented by counsel S. Sundarajan. -- BERNAMA