MELAKA: Five men were charged in the magistrates’ court here yesterday with abducting a businessman last Wednesday.
Mi Chew Kek, 42; Lim Lian Huat, 41; Chow Diong Ching, 51; Chong Moon Chee, 37, and Teo Boon Han, 35, together with a few others still at large, were charged with abducting Tan Lung Lai with intent to force him to surrender his property to them.
The offence was allegedly committed at a parking area near a food court at Perkampungan Portugis here at about 9.10pm on Aug 22 this year.
The charge, under Section 365 of the Penal Code, carries a maximum imprisonment for seven years and shall also be liable to fine, if found guilty.
All of them, represented by lawyer Rosal Azimin Ahmad, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.
Magistrate Sajaratudur Abd Rahman allowed all of them bail of RM3,000 each and set Oct 11 for mention. Prosecuting officer Inspector Muhather Mohd Kudus prosecuted.
Meanwhile, in the Sessions Court, a company manager and a friend pleaded not guilty to a charge with accepting a RM5,000 bribe last April.
Mohd Azmir Md Idris, 39, and Mohamad Sahri Hassan, 41, were charged with accepting the money from Noraini Osman as an inducement to help secure a release for one Azmir Shah Zaito Ahmad who was arrested for a drug-related offence.
They were charged with committing the offence at the Coffee Bean Jaya Jusco Ayer Keroh here at about 2.30pm on April 23 this year.
Mohamad Sahri, a self-employed, was also charged with accepting RM5,000 from Noraini which he deposited into a bank account belonging to his wife, also for the same purpose, at about 1.30am at Jalan Hang Tuah here on April 24 this year.
Judge Ahmad Sazali Omar allowed them bail of RM8,000 each and set Sept 7 for mention.
Prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutor Mohd Heikal Ismail. — Bernama