Chinese student fined RM17,000 for faking kidnap to dupe friend's mum of RM2.9mil

New Straits Times

27-05-2025

KUALA LUMPUR: A Chinese national was fined RM17,000 after pleading guilty to a charge of cheating by falsely claiming his friend had been kidnapped in order to demand a ransom of RM2.9 million.
Sessions Court judge Azrul Darus handed down the sentence to Zhang Runbao, 23, a university student in Singapore, after he pleaded guilty to the charge today.
The court ordered that Zhang be jailed for six months if he fails to pay the fine.
According to the charge, Zhang deceived Cheng Zhiwen, 40, the mother of his 18-year-old friend Ye Yingxi, by calling her and showing a video that appeared to depict Ye being kidnapped.
The video allegedly showed Ye half-naked, his hands tied, mouth covered with black duct tape, neck being strangled, body stomped on, and water poured on his face.
Zhang then issued threats and demanded a ransom of 5 million yuan (RM2.9 million) to be transferred into a bank account in China.
However, the entire act was staged to deceive Cheng into handing over the money, something she would not have done had she known it was a hoax.
The offence was committed at a hotel along Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman between 11.44am and 9.15pm on May 2 this year.
Zhang was charged under Section 417 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, which carries a maximum sentence of five years' jail, or a fine, or both upon conviction.
Deputy public prosecutor Noor Syafina Radzuan urged the court to impose a deterrent sentence.
"The accused's deceit caused inconvenience to many parties and wasted time and court resources, including police efforts to track him down.
"The prosecution also requested that the second accused, Ye, be discharged not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) since Zhang has pleaded guilty," she said.
Meanwhile, Ernie Sulastri Ahmad, who represented Zhang, appealed for a lenient sentence, noting that her client intends to continue his studies, which are expected to conclude in June next year.
Ye's lawyer, Ramesh Sivakumar, also urged the court to fully release and acquit his client, pointing out that the mother had withdrawn her police report and no longer wished to pursue the case against her son.
Azrul granted the application and ordered that Ye be discharged not amounting to an acquittal (DNAA) from the charge.