KUALA TERENGGANU: A carpenter was sentenced to six years in prison by the High Court here on Wednesday (March 26), after pleading guilty to the alternative charge of kidnapping a woman at an oil palm plantation in Kampung Kuala Akob, Hulu Terengganu, eight years ago.
Judge Datuk Hassan Abdul Ghani ordered Suparman Aman, 46, to serve the sentence starting from the date of his arrest, on March 15, 2022.
The father of three was accused of wrongfully confining the then 28-year-old victim at an oil palm plantation at 3am on Jan 24, 2017, demanding a ransom of RM400,000, before ultimately accepting RM50,000, which the victim's employer paid.
The charge was framed under Section 5 (1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961 (Revised 1989) and is punishable under the same law, which carries a prison sentence of not more than 10 years and can also be whipped, if convicted.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Khairuddin Idris pressed for the maximum sentence, and said that the accused was lucky to be offered an alternative charge and that the court had to prioritise the public interest.
Lawyer Ghazali Ismail, representing Suparman, pleaded for leniency on the grounds that his client's guilty plea saved the court both time and costs.
Before delivering the sentence, the judge asked the accused whether he regretted his actions and how he felt about being separated from his wife and three children.
The judge further advised Suparman, who expressed remorse, to always consider the well-being of his children and wife before taking any action.
"Remember, have compassion for your children and wife. In the end, your wife is also a victim," said the judge, upon learning from Ghazali that Suparman's wife had taken on the responsibility of supporting the family following his detention.
On July 2, 2020, three of Suparman's accomplices - Mohd Zairol Nizan Md Nor, Mohd Khairul Anuar Musa, and Abdul Hadi Abu Bakar, aged 40, 42, and 25, respectively—were sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty under Section 3 of the same law.
Additionally, Mohd Zairol Nizan was sentenced to seven strokes of the cane, while Mohd Khairul Anuar and Abdul Hadi were each given five strokes. – Bernama
