Teenager among seven charged with kidnap

TAIPING: A teenager was among a group of seven men who were charged in the Magistrate’s Court here today with the abduction of the teenage son of a scrap-metal dealer early this month.
However no plea was recorded from all the accused, comprising H. Gobinath, 36; Saravanan, 33; S. Elangovan, 29; S. Simon Lazarus, 22; S. Ramesh, 21; P. Thiban, 20, and the 17-year-old boy.
The charge was read out to them in Tamil, by a court interpreter, before Magistrate Mohd Hairol Jemain.
They were jointly charged with the abduction of the 17-year-old son of the scrap dealer, and holding him for the ransom of RM3 million.
The offence was allegedly committed in front of Sekolah Menengah Kamunting Bakti, Kamunting, at 11pm, Sept 2.

They were charged under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code, which provides the death sentence or imprisonment for life, and shall if not sentenced to death, liable to whipping, upon conviction.
The prosecution was conducted by deputy public prosecutors Mohd Azrul Faidz and Safiyatun Ahmadun.
Lawyers J. Matthews represented Thiban, while P. Ravi appeared for Gobinath and Saravanan.
The other four accused were unrepresented.
The court set Nov 21 for mention. — Bernama