PETALING JAYA: The magistrates court today discharged without acquittal a Uber driver from a charge of extorting the son of Pastor Raymond Koh, who was abducted on Feb 13 last year.
However, the man was then charged with abducting the pastor, to which he pleaded not guilty.
Magistrate Nurshahirah Abdul Salim made the decision after allowing an application by deputy public prosecutor Abu Arsalnaa Zainal Abidin in the case against Lam Chang Nam, 32.
Abu Arsalnaa had told the court his office had received instructions from the Attorney-General’s Chambers to make the application.
Lam’s counsel Aaron Mark Pius objected, saying his client should be acquitted since the prosecution seemed disinterested in pursuing the case.
Abu Arsalnaa, however, argued that not all the facts of the case had been heard by the court.
Lam was charged on March 16 last year with allegedly extorting Jonathan Koh Szu Hao, 34, by demanding RM30,000 purportedly for the release of his father.
He was alleged to have committed the offence at Paradigm Mall in Kelana Jaya at 8.46pm on March 6.
Lam was charged under Section 385 of the Penal Code which carries a sentence of up to seven years’ imprisonment, or fine, or caning, or any two of the punishments, upon conviction.
Meanwhile, in the same court, Lam claimed trial to an amendment charge of abducting Raymond with seven others still at large for the purpose of detaining him illegally.
He and the seven others were alleged to have done so in Jalan SS4B/10A, Kelana Jaya, at 10.45am on Feb 13.
He was charged under Section 365 of the Penal Code read together with Section 34 of the same code. Under the two sections, he is liable to up to seven years’ jail and fine if found guilty.
Nurshahirah fixed bail at RM5,000 in one surety and set March 30 for remention of the case.