KUANTAN, Feb 28  — The case of six men charged with the kidnap of a businessman for a RM19 million ransom two years ago has been transferred to the High Court here.

The decision was made today after cases involving the six suspects came up for mention before Magistrate Noor Zaihan Mohamad Ali and Sessions Court judges Datuk Unaizah Mohd and Siti Aminah Ghazali.

The order was made after deputy public prosecutor Shahrul Ekhsan Hassim informed the three courts that the prosecution had received permission to transfer the case to the High Court.

In the proceeding before Magistrate Noor Zaihan Mohamad Ali, the accused were Ang Boon Leong, 40, Lim Sin Chye, 45, Low Sing Hwa, 29, and Tham Hock Ann, 36.

They were charged with abducting and wrongfully confining Chin Yoke Choon, 54, at a car park at Seri Manja Boutique Hotel, Jalan Indera Mahkota 7/1, Bandar Indera Mahkota here at 5.55 p, on Dec 26, 2015.

The charge, under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961 (Revised 1989), read with Section 34 of the Penal Code, carries the death sentence, or life imprisonment and whipping, on conviction.   

Another case involving Lim, Low and Tham also came up for mention before Sessions Court judge Unaizah today.

In the case, the three men were charged with being members of an organised criminal group known as Geng William between January 2015 and Feb 4 this year.

The charge, under Section 130V (1) of the Penal Code, carries an imprisonment for up to 20 years, if found guilty.

Tham also faced a similar charge and the case, as well as the case involving their two other accomplices, came up for mention before Sessions Court judge Siti Aminah.

The two accomplices, Choo Jia Lerk, 23, and Liew Chee Hwa, 29, were charged under Section 130Y of the Penal Code with consorting with an organised criminal group between April 2015 and Nov 19 last year.

They face an imprisonment for up to 20 years and shall also be liable to fine, if found guilty.

The accused were represented by lawyers S. Sundarajan and Bob Arumugam. — Bernama