Singapore university student charged in JB court with kidnapping 15-year-old girl
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Huang Xiaonan was charged with the kidnapping of the teen with the intention to confine her in secret.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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JOHOR BAHRU - A university student who studies in Singapore has been charged in court in Malaysia for kidnapping a 15-year-old girl.
Chinese national Huang Xiaonan, 22, claimed trial on Dec 5 to kidnapping the teenager at a hotel in Jalan Station in Johor Bahru at 4.08am on Nov 24.
Huang was charged with the kidnapping of the 15-year-old student, who is also a Chinese national, with the intention to confine her in secret.
The charge was read to him in Mandarin. If convicted, he may be jailed for up to seven years and fined.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Ameerah Allaudeen did not offer bail, citing the offence as non-bailable.
“The accused is from the People’s Republic of China and is a flight risk,” she said, adding that the court should consider the severity of the case.
“The accused also has no familial ties in Malaysia so there is a possibility of him absconding.”
Mr Goh Poh Gek, who represented Huang, appealed to the court to consider bail as the accused has been cooperative throughout the investigation.
“He also has a distant relative, who is a Malaysian, staying in Taman Ungku Tun Aminah, Skudai and is ready to be his surety,” said Mr Goh.
“There is also no issue of flight risk as his passport would be surrendered to the court if bail is allowed and he will also obey all conditions set by the court.”
The magistrate decided not to allow bail after hearing from both sides.
The case will be mentioned again on Jan 27, 2025.
In an earlier report by The Straits Times, the female student was found in Kuantan
She had entered Johor Bahru through Woodlands Checkpoint on Nov 24. Preliminary investigations by the Singapore Police Force indicated that the girl had voluntarily left Singapore unaccompanied.
Johor police chief M. Kumar said that a 48-year-old Chinese national had lodged a report with the police on Nov 26, stating that his 15-year-old daughter did not attend school and was believed to be abducted by an unknown individual.
“The teenager did not show up at her school in Singapore on Nov 25 before being reported missing,” he added.
The victim was rescued at an area in Kuantan, Pahang, where police also arrested a 22-year-old Chinese national man at the location. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
