Federal Court upholds 30-year jail sentence for two men convicted of kidnapping a businesswoman for a RM2 million ransom in 2015
PUTRAJAYA: The Federal Court has upheld the 30-year prison sentence for two former real estate agents convicted of kidnapping a businesswoman for a RM2 million ransom 11 years ago.
A three-judge panel led by Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh unanimously dismissed the final appeal by Lew Ngee Chin, 53, and Chin Yoon Tack. “The court found no appealable error by the High Court and the Court of Appeal,” said Wan Ahmad Farid.
He stated there was overwhelming evidence showing the appellants were involved in planning the kidnapping. The bench upheld the conviction and 30-year sentence originally imposed by the Court of Appeal.
The court also upheld the acquittal of a third accused, Telaha Sanchis, 44. This followed the prosecution’s withdrawal of its cross-appeal against his acquittal.
The High Court had initially sentenced all three men to life imprisonment in March 2020. They were found guilty of abducting and wrongfully confining 63-year-old Lim Hoe.
The crime occurred at a wellness centre in Taman Sea Kelana Jaya, Selangor, on November 10, 2015. The Court of Appeal later substituted the life terms for Lew and Chin with 30 years’ jail in January 2024.
It also allowed Telaha’s appeal, setting aside his conviction and life sentence. The victim was confined in a Cheras shop house for seven days before her release.
She was freed near the Sentul LRT station on November 16, 2015, after the ransom was left along the NKVE. Police arrested the trio and recovered RM700,000 of the ransom money.
