6 Chinese Citizens In Malaysia Ask For IDR 15 Billion Cryptocurrency Threatened With 40 Years In Prison

Illustration of the kidnapping case (Unsplash-Jose P. Ortiz)

JAKARTA - At least six defendants in the kidnapping of Chinese nationals in Malaysia who asked the victim's family for a cryptocurrency ransom of RM4.44 million or around Rp. 15 billion are threatened with a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.

They are Jun Hiong, 28 years old; Law Han Wei, 28 years old; Dhinnesh Tan Kin Yuan, 29 years old; Jong Li Jiat, 25 years old; and husband and wife Loh Wei Jian and Wong Xiao Yen both 29 years old pleaded not guilty before the panel of judges.

Public prosecutor Mohamed Wafi Husain charged the six defendants along with four other suspects who are still at large for kidnapping a Chinese man incorrectly for a ransom of Rp. 15 billion.

In the trial which took place in Mayalsia on Thursday, August 15, the defendants were represented by five attorneys.

The prosecutor stated that the defendant could file a guarantee because it was judged by the severity of the case. However, the defendants' attorneys submitted a guarantee request for their client which was immediately rejected by Judge Amir Effendy.

"After considering all the arguments and properties of the indictment, the court has ruled that guarantees will not be granted," said Judge Amir, who set it on October 8 for the submission of documents.

The indictment was drafted under Article 3 (1) of the 1961 Kidnapping Act and read together with Article 34 of the Criminal Code stipulates a minimum prison sentence of 30 years or a maximum of 40 years and a caning sentence, if found guilty.

Regarding the four suspects who are still at large, the state-owned media reported that the Malaysian police were continuing to try to sniff out their whereabouts.

The confinement of victims in this kidnapping took place near Maju Expressway (MEX) Toll Plaza, Cyberjaya, on July 11 at around 11 am.

Selangor police chief Datuk Hussein Omar Khan said the four fugitive suspects -three men and a woman, were part of a gang of 18 people responsible for planning and carrying out the kidnapping. The four are believed to be still in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, four other suspects involved in the kidnapping were killed in a shootout in Skudai, Johor on August 3.