SIBU: Three men and a boy were yesterday brought before a magistrate’s court here to face a tentative charge of kidnapping a businessman with the purpose of killing him. No plea was taken.
The four accused, first left, second left (juvenile), fourth left and second right (partly hidden) being led out of the Court after the hearing.
Prosecuting officer Inspector Badrul Iskandar told the Court he was waiting for the chemist’s and forensic reports.
The four were ordered to be further remanded until Nov 24 when their case would be brought up for further mention.
Lau Kiew Huat of Kong Yit Khim Road, Ko Ing Hai of Sungai Bidut, Clement Juan of Matu and the juvenile from Pasai Siong are jointly charged with another person still at large with kidnapping Ting Sii Teck with the motive of killing him.
The charge is framed under Section 364 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34 of the same Code, which provides for a death sentence or jail up to 30 years. Offenders are also liable to whipping. The incident allegedly occurred at 12.10am on Oct 5 at Kong Yit Khim Road.
According to earlier press reports, a few men were said to have sent a car to 39-year-old Ting for repair, and when the repair took too long to complete, they asked for a refund. When their demand was not met, they assaulted Ting.
On Oct 5 around midnight, they allegedly tied his hands and blindfolded him before taking him to a secluded area where they dumped him.
They returned 20 minutes later and allegedly slashed his head. One of them fired a shot at him but missed while another man threw a rock at him, hitting him on the back. Ting faked death until the men had left. He sought help from villagers at a longhouse nearby and got 40 stitches for his wounds. Later, he alerted the police.