A man who entered Malaysia hoping to seek refuge after being wanted by Singapore police was instead kidnapped by a group of six local individuals last week.
Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department director Datuk M Kumar said the victim had entered Malaysia illegally in May and sought help from an acquaintance, only to be held hostage by the group.
He said the kidnappers initially demanded S$80,000 (about RM255,000) in ransom before agreeing to accept S$25,000 (RM79,822).
“Of the amount, S$5,000 (RM17,500) was paid online, while the remaining balance was scheduled to be handed over at a supermarket,” he said during a press conference at the Johor police contingent headquarters on Wednesday.
Police moved quickly after receiving information and arrested a 40-year-old suspect at a supermarket in Nusa Bestari, Iskandar Puteri, on Tuesday. The male victim was found injured in both thighs, believed to have been slashed with a sharp weapon, while his girlfriend was also rescued.
Following the arrest, police detained five more suspects, including a 32-year-old woman and individuals aged between 32 and 46, in Skudai.
Police also seized S$12,000 (RM38,324) in cash, RM41,400 in cash, a gold chain, a Rolex watch, a machete and a Perodua Axia believed to be linked to the case.
Checks found that five of the suspects had previous criminal records, including drug-related offences, while four tested positive for methamphetamine.
All six suspects have been remanded for 10 days until Aug 21 to assist investigations. The male victim was remanded for 14 days under the Immigration Act 1959/63 for not possessing valid travel documents, while his girlfriend was remanded for four days until Aug 15 after testing positive for drugs.
Kumar said further investigations were underway to determine the actual motive behind the kidnapping and establish the full circumstances surrounding the case.
