Trio to face lesser charge over Palestinian's kidnapping
KUALA LUMPUR : The Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC) has accepted the representation of three men previously charged in connection with the kidnapping of a Palestinian man three years ago.
Kuala Lumpur prosecution director Badius Zaman Ahmad informed the High Court here of the development on the first day of the trial involving 14 accused today.
The three are Edy Ko'im Said, Al Hatim Fauzi, and Azwan Jamaludin, aged 26 to 46.
'We will offer them an alternative charge under Section 365 of the Penal Code (for kidnapping with the intent of secretly and wrongfully confining a person),' Badius told Justice K Muniandy.
Section 365 provides for a jail term of up to seven years and a fine, upon conviction.
The court set July 10 for the alternative charge to be read to the trio and for them to enter their plea, as well as to hear the outcome of representations submitted by some of the other accused to the AGC.
Previously, all 14 accused were charged under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961 with abducting the victim for ransom, which is punishable by 30 to 40 years in prison, and a whipping, upon conviction.
The other accused are Norakmal Hassan, Dody Junaidi, Tengku Arif Bongsu Tengku Hamid, Naziree Mustapha, Faizull Hardey Isa, Iqmal Abdul Rahis, Sufian Saly, Zaidi Zain, and Tengku Hazarul Ismail Tengku Hamid, aged between 28 and 59.
Married couple Nidarahayu Zainal, 36, and Raibafie Amdan, 41, were also charged under the Kidnapping Act.
All 14 are accused of kidnapping the 31-year-old victim to obtain confidential information on how to create and disable computer software used to hack mobile phones.
The kidnapping allegedly took place along Jalan Mayang here at about 10.40pm on Sept 28, 2022.
Nidarahayu, Raibafie, and Tengku Arif were also charged with money laundering involving RM250,000 on Oct 20, 2023.
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