Singapore fugitive flees to Johor, ends up kidnapped for S$80,000 ransom

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 12 — A 32-year-old Singaporean wanted man, who fled to Johor for refuge, was instead kidnapped and assaulted before his family was blackmailed with a S$80,000 (about RM255,400) ransom.

Federal Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director Datuk M. Kumar said the victim, who is wanted by the Singapore police, had initially entered the country illegally at the end of May.

He said the victim was met by one of the six suspects in Johor Bahru shortly before his 28-year-old girlfriend also entered the country illegally.

“While the victim was in the midst of asking for assistance, he and his girlfriend were then kidnapped by the suspect.

“The suspects also forcefully took the victim’s cash consisting of S$12,000 and RM41,400. 

“They then hatched a plan and demanded a S$80,000 ransom from the victim’s mother in Singapore,” he told reporters at the Johor police contingent headquarters here today.

Also present was Johor police chief Datuk Ab Rahaman Arsad and senior officers.

Following the ransom demand, Kumar said the victim’s mother then reported the matter to the Singapore Police Force (SPF) before investigators reached out to their Malaysian counterparts.

He said a Bukit Aman and Johor state CID task force was assembled to catch the suspects.

“While being detained, the male victim was deliberately slashed on both thighs before a photo of him was sent to his mother as a reminder of the ransom amount.

“As a result of negotiations, the male victim’s family and the suspect then agreed to a ransom sum of S$25,000, where S$5,000 was paid in advance online,” he said, adding that the remainder of the ransom was to be paid in cash during a meeting between the suspect and the victim’s family here.

Kumar said police then arrested a 40-year-old suspect during the ransom exchange held at a supermarket in Nusa Bestari, Iskandar Puteri at 6pm yesterday.

He said police also managed to rescue and free the two victims.

“Following that, police conducted a series of raids in Skudai and managed to arrest four men and a local woman, aged between 30 and 46, who are believed to be behind the kidnapping,” he said.

Checks showed that five of the six suspects had previous records involving criminal and drug offences. Four suspects also tested positive for methamphetamine abuse.

Kumar said police managed to recover the Singaporean and Malaysian currencies from the suspects that are believed to belong to the victim.

“This is in addition to house keys, mobile phones, jewellery, a Rolex watch and a Perodua Axia car with a total value of RM264,440.

“The motive for the kidnapping is still under investigation and police are actively tracking down other suspects who are still at large,” he said.

Kumar said the male victim was supposed to be under parole in Singapore, but fled and entered Johor illegally.

He said police believed that the victim’s contacts here had taken advantage of his situation to blackmail him.

The case is being investigated under Section 3(1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961, which is kidnapping for ransom.

The suspects have been remanded for 10 days starting today, while the two victims were also anrrested for illegally entering Malaysia.