Three teens claim trial to abducting 7-year-old Singapore boy in JB

JOHOR BAHRU – Three teenagers have been charged in a magistrate’s court in Johor Bahru with

kidnapping a seven-year-old boy

who is from Singapore in early December.

Jonathan Yet, 18, and two underage accused, aged 16 and 17, pleaded not guilty after the charge was read to them in Mandarin before Magistrate R. Salini on Dec 27.

According to the charge sheet, the trio kidnapped the boy from his lawful guardian. The crime was allegedly committed in Jalan Serampang at 5.15pm on Dec 12.

The charge is under Section 363 of the Penal Code for kidnapping, read together with Section 34 of the same legislation for a criminal act committed by several persons with a common intention.

It carries a term of up to seven years’ imprisonment or a fine upon conviction.

The prosecution was conducted by Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Shamira Mohd Luthfi Ismail, while the accused were not represented.

Earlier during the proceedings, DPP Shamira requested that bail be set at RM8,000 (S$2,300) for each accused with one surety.

In mitigation, the trio requested lower bail. The court then set bail at RM2,500 for each accused with one surety, with the surety for the two underage accused being their parents.

The court set Jan 23 for the next mention and for the accused to appoint counsel.

It also ordered the accused to undergo social and moral evaluation by the Social Welfare Department.

On Dec 20, the Johor Bahru South police chief, Assistant Commissioner Raub Selamat, said three teenagers had been detained on suspicion of abetting an abduction attempt on a seven-year-old boy on Dec 12.

A Chinese national with Singapore permanent resident status was seriously injured while trying to save his son from being kidnapped by a group of men.

The boy was not injured.

The main suspect, a 41-year-old who is believed to be a partner of the victim’s father, was detained in front of Taman Pelangi police station at 8pm on the same day. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK