Four Chinese nationals face kidnapping charge after Singaporean allegedly held for RM3.28m ransom

Four Chinese nationals were charged in a Sessions Court in Balik Pulau with kidnapping a Singaporean man in July, demanding a SGD1 million ransom.

The accused pleaded not guilty, and the case involves additional suspects, some of whom remain at large or have died.

Bail was denied due to the severity of the offense and concerns of public interest, with the next hearing scheduled for October 15.

The incident is linked to a syndicate that targeted foreign nationals through deceptive means such as job offers and social media interactions.

BALIK PULAU, Sept 10 — Four Chinese nationals were charged at the Sessions Court here today with kidnapping a Singaporean man in July and demanding a ransom of SGD1 million (about RM3.28 million).

The accused, Liu Ting Jun, 46; Huang Jian, 39; Wang Hao Yu, 32; and Guan Siqi, 24, the only woman among them, however, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to them in Mandarin before Judge Ahzal Fariz Ahmad Khairuddin.

According to the charge sheet, the accused, as well as two others still at large and another two individuals who have since died, are accused of jointly abducting and wrongfully confining Quek Aik Teng at the Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas at 4.15 pm on July 26.

The charge is framed under Section 3(1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides for imprisonment of between 30 and 40 years, and caning, upon conviction.

Deputy public prosecutor Ikmal Affendi Zulkifly did not offer bail on the grounds that the case involved a serious offence and is a matter of public interest.

“A review of their passports is being carried out, and there is still no confirmation from the Immigration Department of Malaysia,” he said.

Counsel Azizul Hilmi Zulkifli, representing Guan, Huang and Wang, asked the court to consider bail with additional conditions, such as surrendering their passports, reporting to the nearest police station, and not interfering with prosecution witnesses.

Meanwhile, counsel Edward Ng, representing Liu, sought reasonable bail on the grounds that his client had cooperated with the police throughout the investigation and had no prior criminal record.

The judge dismissed all the bail applications and set Oct 15 for further mention of the case.

It was previously reported that police had shot dead two foreign nationals in Alor Setar, Kedah, last Saturday.

The suspects were believed to be members of a kidnapping syndicate that targeted foreign nationals, luring them with job offers and holiday packages after befriending them through dating apps and social media. — Bernama

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四名中国公民在浮罗山背地方法庭被控于 7 月绑架一名新加坡男子，并索要 100 万新加坡元赎金。

被告拒不不认罪，该案还涉及其他嫌疑人，其中一些人仍然在逃或已经死亡。

由于罪行严重且涉及公共利益，保释申请被驳回，下次听证会定于10月15日举行。

该事件与一个犯罪团伙有关，该团伙通过提供工作机会和社交媒体互动等欺骗手段，以外国公民为目标。

峇六拜，9月10日讯——今天，四名中国公民在峇六拜地方法庭被控于7月绑架一名新加坡男子，并索要100万新加坡元（约合328万令吉）的赎金。

被告刘廷俊（46岁）、黄健（39岁）、王浩宇（32岁）和关思琪（24岁，其中唯一的女性）在法官阿赫扎尔·法里兹·艾哈迈德·凯鲁丁面前用普通话宣读控状后，均表示不认罪。

根据控状，被告与另外两名在逃人员以及另外两名已故人员被控于 7 月 26 日下午 4 点 15 分在峇六拜槟城国际机场共同绑架并非法拘禁郭益登。

该指控依据 1961 年《绑架法》第 3(1) 条和《刑法》第 34 条提出，规定一经定罪，可判处 30 至 40 年监禁和鞭刑。

副检察官伊克马尔·阿芬迪·祖尔基夫利没有准予保释，理由是该案涉及严重罪行，且事关公共利益。

他说：“我们正在对他们的护照进行审查，但马来西亚移民局尚未确认。”

代表关、黄、王的律师阿齐祖尔·希尔米·祖尔基夫利请求法庭考虑准予保释，但附加一些条件，例如交出护照、到最近的警察局报到以及不得干扰控方证人。

与此同时，刘的代理律师爱德华·吴（Edward Ng）以刘在整个调查过程中与警方合作且没有犯罪记录为由，请求给予合理的保释。

法官驳回了所有保释申请，并将案件再次提审日期定于10月15日。

此前有报道称，上周六，警方在吉打州亚罗士打击毙了两名外国公民。

据信，这些嫌疑人隶属于一个绑架团伙，该团伙专门针对外国公民，通过约会软件和社交媒体结识他们，并以工作机会和度假套餐为诱饵引诱他们。——马新社

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