Brothers jailed for life
Five others get similar sentence for kidnapping businessman
JOHOR BARU: The High Court here has sentenced seven men, including two brothers, to life imprisonment and whipping for kidnapping a businessman some three years ago.
Brothers G. Vishal, 26, and G. Harvinther, 24 – both unemployed, welder Soon Yong Hwa, 21, lorry attendant S. Sharvin Raj, 21, mechanic S. Richard Roy, 27, unemployed T. Kaviaraasu, 23 and salesman S. Jayakanthan, 29 were accused of committing the offence on Sept 9, 2009.
According to the facts of the case, they abducted businessman Foo Kwai Sang, 54, with the intention of obtaining a ransom of Rm3mil in Kangkar Pulai at around 3.45pm.
After taking into consideration the mitigating factors and the ages of the seven accused, Judge Kamardin Hashim sentenced them to life imprisonment and six strokes of the cane each.
They were charged under Section 3 of the Kidnapping Act 1961, which carries the death sentence or life imprisonment, as well as whipping.
Deputy public prosecutor Iskandar Ahmad prosecuted, while lawyers Kumar Palanisamy, Arnold Andrew, R.K. Menon, R. Jegathesan, and Sheikh Salem represented the accused.
Earlier this year, A. Aruniss Kumar, 26, and K. Phuvandran, 27, were sentenced to four years imprisonment while another accused O. Vignesh was acquitted over the kidnapping.
In an unrelated case, the High Court rejected an appeal made by Kamaleshwaran Chitravelu, 33 – better known as Datuk Kabi – under the Restricted Residence Act.
Datuk Kabi was sentenced to two years imprisonment by a magistrates’ court here on Sept 15 last year for leaving his restricted residence in Mukim Tenggaroh, Mersing.
He went to Jalan Changkat Duta Kiara 3, Mont Kiara in Kuala Lumpur to settle a payment for a car that he bought from insurance manager Mohd Hamzavi Md Zain, 36, at around 6.30pm on Nov 6 last year.
He was charged under Section 2A of the Restricted Residence Act, which carries a jail term of up to three years.
Judicial Commissioner Samsudin Hassan allowed a stay of execution pending an appeal to the Court of Appeal.