KUALA LUMPUR: A university student from China was fined RM17,000 by the Sessions Court for staging a fake kidnapping to extort a RM2.9mil ransom from his friend's mother.
Sessions Court judge Azrul Darus sentenced Zhang Runbao, 23, after he changed his plea during the case mention on Tuesday (May 27).
Zhang – who is studying at a Singaporean university - pleaded guilty to an alternative charge.
Judge Azrul also ordered Zhang to serve six months in jail if he fails to pay the fine.
According to the charge, Zhang cheated Cheng Zhiwen, the mother of his friend Ye Yingxi, by staging a kidnapping.
In a video, Ye appeared half-naked, with his hands tied, mouth taped, and was choked and stomped on, with water poured on his face.
The accused demanded a ransom of five million Yuan (RM2.9mil) to be deposited into a bank account in China.
The staged actions induced Cheng to hand over the money, and the offence occurred at a hotel on Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman between 11.44am and 9.15pm on May 2.
The charge falls under Section 417 of the Penal Code, which provides for a maximum of five years in jail, a fine, or both upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Noor Syafina Radzuan requested a just sentence to serve as a deterrent to the public.
"The prosecution asks the court to consider that the accused's action had affected a lot of people and wasted the time and cost of the court and the police."
For Ye, the second accused, the prosecution sought a discharge not amounting to an acquittal since Zhang had pleaded guilty.
Lawyer Ernie Sulastri Ahmad, representing Zhang, pleaded for leniency, noting his guilty plea saved court resources.
She said Zhang intended to continue his studies, which are due to finish by June next year.
Meanwhile, lawyer Ramesh Sivakumar, representing Ye, requested a discharge and acquittal, stating that Cheng had withdrawn her police report.
Judge Azrul granted Ye a discharge not amounting to an acquittal, as requested by the prosecution.
