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

Six individuals, including a woman, have pleaded not guilty in a Johor court to charges of kidnapping a 32-year-old Singaporean man for a S$20,000 (RM63,000) ransom. The accused are M. Balamurugan, 46, K. Saravanan, 40, P. Sri Devi, 41, G. Puganeswaran, 38, S. Gobinath, 38, and X. Adwin Nicholas, 41. They are accused of the kidnapping and ransom demand at a church in Skudai on August 8.

The charges under the Kidnapping Act 1961 and Section 34 of the Penal Code carry a potential 40-year prison sentence and whipping if convicted. However, the Deputy Public Prosecutor, R. Nevina, denied bail, citing the serious nature of the offense. The accused's lawyers, including K. Veeranesh, applied for bail, arguing that their clients had family responsibilities.

The court granted bail at RM50,000 each with two local sureties, with conditions prohibiting harassment of the victim and prosecution witnesses, monthly reporting to the police, and surrender of international passports if applicable.

The same six individuals have also been charged with kidnapping a 33-year-old Singaporean woman with the intent to confine her secretly and wrongfully. The alleged kidnapping occurred at Skudai Villa Apartment from August 8 to 11. The charges under Section 365 of the Penal Code and Section 34 of the same code carry a maximum sentence of seven years and a fine.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Eizlan Azhar denied bail, but Veeranesh applied for bail, and the court granted bail at RM10,000 each with two sureties, again with conditions on behavior and passport surrender.

Additionally, Balamurugan, Saravanan, and Gobinath have pleaded not guilty to gang robbery charges for stealing a gold necklace and a Rolex watch from a car in Johor Bahru Utara on August 8. The charges under Section 395 of the Penal Code carry a potential 20-year prison sentence and caning. The court granted bail at RM9,000 each with a local surety for these three accused, with conditions on not disturbing the victim and witnesses, reporting to the police monthly, and surrendering passports.

Saravanan and Puganeswaran were also fined RM3,000 after pleading guilty to causing injury to the Singaporean man using a knife, and ordered to serve a six-month jail term if they fail to pay the fine. All cases are set for mention on September 23.