Man charged with kidnap of teenage boy

MELAKA, May 6: An unemployed man was charged in the Magistrate’s Court today with the kidnap of a 13-year-old boy for a RM20,000 ransom last month.

Low Chiew Mun, 48, was charged with kidnapping M. Gunaseelan and confining him to the first floor of a house in Taman Merdeka Jaya, Batu Berendam, here and demanding the ransom from his mother, A. Letchumy, 44, at about 4 pm on April 20.

Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961 provides for the death sentence or life imprisonment and whipping upon conviction.

Low, who was not represented by counsel, nodded indicating that he understood the charge after it was read out to him, but no plea was recorded.

Deputy public prosecutor Nabilah Nizam appeared for the prosecution.

Magistrate Syajaratudur Abd Rahman set June 4 for mention.

Low was arrested on April 22 after police found Gunaseelan’s body, with his hands and feet tied to a chair at a vacant house in Taman Merdeka Jaya. – BERNAMA