PETALING JAYA, July 27 — Six men pleaded not guilty at the Sessions Court today to charges of kidnapping a 44-year-old businessman and demanding an RM8 million ransom earlier this month.
The accused were car wash centre owner A. Ravichandran, 45; R. Elanggovan, 45; M. Jeyaraj, 43; used oil businessman Moses De Britto John Patrick, 40; Ziyauddin, 33; and e-hailing driver Muhammad Afiq Safine, 36.
The six entered their pleas after the charge was read before Sessions Court Judge Syahliza Warnoh.
They were charged under Section 3(1) of the Kidnapping Act 1961, read together with Section 34 of the Penal Code and if convicted, they face a prison sentence of between 30 and 40 years, in addition to whipping.
According to the charge, the six, together with seven other individuals who are still at large, allegedly abducted Chui Kok Mun to extort an RM8 million ransom.
The alleged offence took place at about 5.15pm on July 16 at a nasi kandar restaurant in Dataran Sunway.
Authorities have since confirmed that efforts are ongoing to trace the remaining seven individuals believed to have been involved in the kidnapping.
Family members of the accused were also present in the public gallery throughout the court proceedings.
