KUALA LUMPUR: Some 30 witnesses, including several bank officers, have been lined up to testify in a case involving the kidnapping of a Palestinian man.
The trial before High Court judge Justice K. Muniandy involves 13 accused persons.
Deputy public prosecutor Harvind Raja informed the judge that the case from three years ago will include testimonies from several bank officers.
“We will prepare witness statements for them,” he said.
Justice Muniandy then instructed the prosecution to file the statements before the next mention date on May 23.
Hearing dates are between July 7 and July 11.
The 13 accused were first charged in October 2022 at a Magistrate’s Court.
They are Edy Ko’im Said, 41; Mohamad Norakmal Hassan, 42; Dody Junaidi, 43; Tengku Arif Bongsu Tengku Hamid, 40; Mohamad Naziree Mustapha, 40; Faizull Hardey Mohd Isa, 41; Muhammad Iqmal Abdul Rahis, 26.
The others include Mohamad Sufian Saly, 24; Muhammad Al Hatim Mohd Fauzi, 22; Nidarahayu Zainal, 35; Raibafie Amdan, 40; Mohd Zaidi Mohd Zain, 57; and Tengku Hazarul Ismail Tengku Hamid, 52.
They allegedly kidnapped Omar ZM Albelbaisy Raeda to obtain information to deactivate computer software used to hack mobile phones.
They allegedly committed the offence at Jalan Mayang here at 10.40pm on Sept 28.
All of them are charged under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code.
They are liable to the death penalty or life imprisonment and whipping if found guilty.
Previously, in December 2023, the High Court approved the transfer of the case to the Sessions Court for trial.
The prosecution, however, appealed against the decision for transfer, and on Aug 7, 2024, the Court of Appeal ordered that the case be tried in the Kuala Lumpur High Court.
The same court will also hear a money laundering case involving Nidarahayu and her husband, Raibafie.
Nidarahayu faces 17 charges related to transferring and disposing of RM205,636.32 through her CIMB account to multiple individuals.
Raibafie is accused of receiving RM30,350 from Nidarahayu.
The High Court granted RM50,000 bail to each of the 13 individuals last year, along with two sureties.
