SINGAPORE - A Myanmar businessman, who suspected his wife of having an affair with an engineer, hired two men to abduct his rival with a view to getting him killed, a district court heard.
Alleged mastermind Aung Aung, also known as Win Kyaw Kyaw Aung, 33, a Singapore permanent resident, has since left Singapore and the police are seeking his arrest.
He recruited Zaw Min Hlaing, 40, and Phyo Min Naing, 34, to abduct Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet alias Thomson, 29, a Singapore permanent resident who was working here in 2015. Mr Aye's current whereabouts are unknown.
Aung Aung's plan was to have Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet abducted, take his house keys and search his home for evidence of the affair with his wife Sandi. Aung Aung also wanted to have the victim confined at Aloha Changi chalet, interrogate him on the affair and eventually have him killed, investigations showed.
However, the attempted abduction from a Pasir Ris multi-storey carpark on June 21, 2015, failed after Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet put up a fierce struggle and shouted for help.
Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet was tasered but refused to be subdued. When he called on some passers-by at the carpark to help him, Zaw Min Hlaing and Phyo Min Naing released him and fled, leaving their van parked next to the victim's car.
On Tuesday (Nov 21), Zaw Min Hlaing and Phyo Min Naing, who had claimed trial and were tried for three days in August 2016, pleaded guilty to their crimes.
Zaw Min Hlaing, who is a Singapore permanent resident, was convicted of seven charges - attempted abduction, possessing a foldable knife, having control of a stun gun and permitting another Myanmar national to drive on two occasions without a driving licence or insurance coverage.
Phyo Min Naing admitted to attempted abduction, having control of a stun gun and pepper spray.
The court heard that in 2014, Aung Aung confided in Zaw Min Hlaing that his wife was having an affair with Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet in Singapore. He asked Zaw Min Hlaing to tail the pair in a rental car, and provided him with GPS trackers for the cars of his wife Sandi and Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet.
In May 2015, Aung Aung instructed Zaw Min Hlaing to pick up Phyo Min Naing and another Myanmar national from the airport. He paid for their expenses and asked them to lease a bedroom close to where Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet lived.
The men booked the Aloha Changi chalet for three days from June 21, 2015. They prepared their stun devices and parked their rental van next to Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet's car at the multi-storey carpark in Pasir Ris Street 71 on June 21.
When Mr Aye Maung Maung Thet unlocked his car using the remote control that evening, Zaw Min Hlaing and Phyo Min Naing grabbed him from behind and began pushing him towards the van. Mr Aye fought back and called the police after the two men had fled.
Zaw Min Hlaing was arrested the next day when he turned up at the rental company to return the van. He led police to the chalet where Phyo Min Naing and another Myanmar national were arrested. Police seized, among other things, luggage bags, a meat mincer, a chainsaw, kitchen knives, two gas stoves, trolley bags, plastic sheets, cable ties, a cleaver, aprons, a chopping board and rubber boots.
To date, only Myanmar national Yae Wynnt Oaung, 33, an oil trader, has been dealt with in connection with the case. He was given six weeks' jail in December 2015 for 20 driving-related offences.
District Judge Tan Jen Tse adjourned the case to Friday (Nov 24) for mitigation.
Deputy Public Prosecutors John Lu Zhuoren, Amanda Sum and Assistant Public Prosecutor Dillon Kok prosecuted the case. Zaw Min Hlaing and Phyo Min Naing are represented by Mr R.S. Bajwa and Mr S. Radakrishnan respectively.
