JOHOR BARU: A Singaporean fugitive, who has been hiding in Malaysia over the past three months, fell victim himself when he was kidnapped for ransom.
Bukit Aman CID director Comm Datuk M. Kumar said police uncovered this when they rescued the 33-year-old fugitive and his 28-year-old Singaporean girlfriend from a location here on Tuesday.
“Following this, police have arrested five local men and a woman to assist investigations under Section 12 of the Kidnap-ping Act 1961.
“An array of items were seized including 10 mobile phones, S$12,000 (RM37,000) and RM41,000 in cash, a Rolex watch, a gold chain and a car, totalling RM264,440,” he told a press conference yesterday.
Comm Kumar said initial investigations showed that one of the kidnappers was a friend of the Singaporean man.
“Investigations showed that the local man and a few accomplices plotted to abduct the Singaporean couple several days ago,” he said.
“The victim’s mother then lodged a police report on Aug 10 that she had received a call from kidnappers to pay a ransom.”
Comm Kumar said police believed the kidnappers had confined the couple for a few days at an undisclosed location before demanding a ransom of S$80,000 (RM250,000).
“They also injured both his thighs to show the family that they were serious,” he said.
It is learnt that the Singaporean man had evaded parole for a drug-related offence.
Comm Kumar also said a police task force was set up and they managed to track down and rescue the couple at about 6pm on Tuesday.
“A suspect, in his 40s, was nabbed near a supermarket in the first operation,” he said. The police later arrested five others in a series of raids in Johor Baru.
Background checks showed five of the suspects have past criminal records and drugs-related offences.
