GEORGE TOWN: Nine people, including two Indonesian nationals and a woman, were charged at the magistrate's court here today with kidnapping a fellow countryman and seeking RM540,000 in ransom early this month.
No pleas were recorded from Indonesians Yussuf Bahtiar, 33, Agong Laksono, 29, and locals C. Youganathan, 32, Tan Gim Chun, 35, Lok Wai Lun, 39, Elaine Gooi Swee May, 33, Mohamad Noor Shahrizuan Hashin, 37, Noorazlin Mat Kasa, 41, and Haffizan Samsudin, 39.
They merely nodded to indicate they understood the charge which was read to them in Bahasa Melayu before magistrate Nadratun Naim Mohd Saidi.
The nine were jointly charged with kidnapping Indonesian Fadilah Fauziah, with the intention to get a RM540,000 ransom, at a unit in Pangsapuri Sri Aman, Paya Terubong here about 7am on Sept 7.
They were charged under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961 (Act 365) read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
The offence carries a minimum 30 years imprisonment and 40 years maximum imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor M. Darrshini told the court no bail was offered.
"No bail is offered for this offence.
"We urge the court to set a mention date pending medical reports and other related reports," she said.
The nine were represented by Chiang Kian Hong.
Nadratun fixed Dec 11 for mention.
All the accused will be remanded at the Remand Prison until the next date.
It was reported that an Indonesian woman's worst nightmare came true when a group of criminals kidnapped, locked up and tortured her for 10 days across multiple places in numerous states, including Penang.
The victim, from Medan, was kidnapped by three men while here on a holiday with her three female friends.
The 36-year-old victim was kidnapped in Paya Terubong before being brought to Butterworth where she was locked up. Her three friends were however released unharmed mid-way by the suspects.
After the kidnapping, the suspect had asked the victim to contact her husband in Indonesia to settle a RM540,000 business debt.
The victim was locked up for three days in Butterworth, four days in Puchong and three days in Shah Alam. She was finally rescued from a house in Shah Alam after her 47-year-old husband lodged a police report.
The victim was found with injuries all over her body and was believed to have been chained, burned with cigarette ends, pricked with needles, beaten, and had her hands and feet restrained with cable ties in addition to being chained.
Police nabbed a total of 14 suspects in several locations in Selangor, Perak and Kuala Lumpur.
Among those detained were the mastermind, aged 35, nine local men, two local women and two foreign men, all of whom were between 23 and 70.