Two Singaporean men kidnapped in Malaysia rescued; 8 people arrested
SINGAPORE — Two Singaporean men who were kidnapped in Malaysia have been rescued unharmed, and a total of eight people have been arrested in connection to the case.
The two victims, a 28-year-old man and his 27-year-old brother, who were rescued on Wednesday (Feb 24), had travelled to Penang for a business trip last Sunday (Feb 21).
On Monday at about 10.54pm, the police received a call about a case where a woman, 29, had been contacted via an unknown Malaysian mobile phone number, demanding for a ransom of US$250,000 to be paid for the release of her fiance, the 28-year-old man.
“Upon receipt of the report, officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Police Intelligence Department (PID) responded immediately and commenced investigative probes and ground enquiries,” said the police in a statement on Thursday (Feb 25).
The police coordinated their efforts with the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP) to establish the whereabouts of the victims as well as locate the possible suspects. They subsequently established the suspects’ identities, as well as the location where the two Singaporean victims were believed to be held against their will, said the police.
On Wednesday, officers from the RMP raided a hotel in Penang, arresting four Malaysian men and rescuing the two victims. In Singapore on the same day, officers here moved in and arrested four Singaporean suspects, one man and three women aged between 26 and 54, in connection to the case. No ransom money was delivered.
Three of the four suspects arrested in Singapore will be charged in court on Friday at 9am with the offence of Putting a Person in Fear of Harm in Order to Commit Extortion with Common Intention. They could be jailed for up to five years and caned. Investigations against the remaining female suspect are ongoing.
-- TODAYonline
I thought kidnapping is death sentence in Singapore? How come they only kenna jailed and caned?