Six charged with kidnapping Singaporean man for S$20,000 ransom in Johor

Six individuals, including a woman, appeared at the Sessions Court in Johor Baru on August 21, pleading not guilty to charges of kidnapping a 32-year-old Singaporean man for an S$20,000 ransom earlier in the month. The accused—M. Balamurugan, K. Saravanan, P. Sri Devi, G. Puganeswaran, S. Gobinath, and X. Adwin Nicholas—were charged with the joint intent of kidnapping the victim in front of a church in Skudai on August 8 around 2 pm.

The charges stemmed from Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, with potential sentences of up to 40 years in prison and whipping if convicted. Deputy Public Prosecutor R. Nevina did not grant bail, citing the serious nature of the offense.

The court allowed all the accused to be bailed at S$50,000 each with two local sureties, subject to conditions such as not harassing the victim or prosecution witnesses, reporting to the nearest police station monthly, and surrendering any international passports. Similarly, in another case at the Magistrate's Court, the same six accused pleaded not guilty to charges of kidnapping a 33-year-old Singaporean woman for seven years and a fine if convicted.

They were charged with the confinement act at Skudai Villa Apartment between August 8 and 11. The charges were brought under Section 365 of the Penal Code, with a bail amount of S$10,000 each with two sureties and the condition of surrendering their passports.

In a separate trial at the Sessions Court, Balamurugan, Saravanan, and Gobinath pleaded not guilty to a charge of gang robbery against the same Singaporean man, involving the theft of a gold necklace and a Rolex watch from a car in Johor Bahru Utara on August 8 around 2 pm. The offense was charged under Section 395 of the Penal Code, with potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison and caning if convicted.

The court granted bail at S$9,000 each with a local surety, with the condition of not disturbing the victim and prosecution witnesses and surrendering their passports. In another proceeding, Saravanan and Puganeswaran were fined S$3,000 after pleading guilty to causing injury to the man using a knife at an apartment in Taman Skudai Baru between August 11 and 1 pm.

They were also sentenced to six months in jail if they fail to pay the fine. All courts set September 23 for the mention of the case and appointment of lawyers.