Man who allegedly kidnapped 15-year-old in M’sia is a S’pore uni student, pleads not guilty & denied bail

Man accused of kidnapping 15-year-old is S’pore uni student

The suspect arrested for kidnapping a 15-year-old girl in Malaysia has been revealed as a 22-year-old student studying in a university in Singapore.

Originally from Guangdong, China, the defendant appeared in a Johor court on Thursday (5 Dec), where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

According to Oriental Daily, the defendant, who was escorted by several police officers, repeatedly lowered his head and covered his face to shield his features from the media cameras.

Suspect denied bail while awaiting trial

Media reports say that the defendant is accused of illegally detaining the 15-year-old girl at a hotel on 24 Nov.

The Singapore Police Force had said then that the teenager “voluntarily left” Singapore before her father filed a police report.

Two days later, Malaysian police conducted a raid and rescued the victim.

Authorities have not disclosed any known relationship between the suspect and the victim, who is also from China.

During the hearing, the defence lawyer requested leniency and sought bail for his client, promising to surrender the defendant’s passport.

However, the judge denied the request, citing the severity of the charges and the defendant’s limited familial ties in Malaysia.

The lawyer disputed the claim about the defendant’s lack of local connections, telling Oriental Daily that the student has an aunt residing in Skudai, Johor.

The court has set 27 Jan 2025 as the next date for the trial. If convicted, the defendant could face a jail term of up to seven years under Malaysian law.

Also read: 15-year-old S’pore student allegedly kidnapped & found in M’sia, suspect arrested

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Featured image adapted from Oriental Daily.