KUALA LUMPUR: Three were arrested for allegedly robbing a Chinese citizen who was later confined in a guard house at a residential area in Kajang, near here, yesterday.
The suspects, aged between 32 and 53, were arrested after the 40-year-old victim managed to escape before lodging a police report with the assistance of the public.
Kajang police chief Assistant Commissioner Mohd Zaid Hassan said the incident started when the victim met the three unknown men at a hotel during a vacation in Genting Highlands on Dec 11.
He said the suspects offered the victim to play at a VIP casino there and a cash chips worth RM100,000, and the latter agreed.
"However, the victim suffered losses, and the suspects demanded the repayment of nearly RM200,000, which the victim paid through online transactions with a bank in China.
"After the incident, the victim was asked to transfer an additional RM150,000, but the victim refused, suspecting that he had been deceived and cheated," he said in a statement today.
Mohd Zaid said on Dec 31, the victim was invited by the suspects for dinner but was instead taken to a durian orchard not far from Genting Highlands.
He said the suspects then seized the victim's personal belongings and assaulted him.
"The victim was then taken to a residential area in Kajang, beaten, tied up, and confined in a nearby guard house.
"On Jan 2, the victim managed to escape and was assisted by the public in taking him to the Kajang police station before filing a police report at 4.32am," he said.
Investigation eventually led to the successful arrest of the three suspects in separate raids around Kajang yesterday, where the police seized a vehicle and three mobile phones believed to be used in the case.
"They admitted to being involved in this case and confessed to asking for money from the victim. All suspects are now remanded for five days starting today until Feb 5.
"The investigation is still ongoing under Section 395 of the Penal Code (for robbery) and Section 342 of the same act (for wrongfully confines any person)," he said.
Meanwhile, he urged the public with information about the case to contact the nearest police station or investigating officer Inspector Afiq Rifdi Mohd Azmi at 011-2966 7474.
Yesterday, the victim held a media conference regarding the incident at the Teratai State Assemblyman Office in Kajang, together with Teratai State Assemblyman Yew Jia Haur.
Lang Xiu Tan, 40, said he arrived at this country alone on Dec 17 for business purposes.ends