ID :
375397
Tue, 07/28/2015 - 05:23
Auther :

Embassy Contacts Indonesian Police On Kidnapping Of Malaysian Businessman

By Azeman Ariffin JAKARTA, July 28 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Embassy in Indonesia has contacted the republic's authorities to get official information on the kidnapping and blackmailing case of Malaysian businessman Sahlan Bandan and five of his family members here recently. Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Zahrain Mohamed Hashim said to date, the embassy had not received any official information from the Indonesian authorities about the kidnapping and was only following developments through the local media. "We hope the Indonesian police can provide information on the kidnapping and blackmailing, and we have handed over the case to be investigated by the Indonesian authorities," he told Bernama here Monday. However, he added, the Malaysian Embassy had full confidence in the republic's police. So far, the authorities have reported the arrested of six men, including two members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) who were involved in the case. Information Head for Jayakarta Military District, Kol Heri Prakosa was quoted in the local media as saying a member of the armed forces had been sent to the Jakarta Military District Police (Pomdam Jaya) here Monday. Earlier, Metro Jaya District Police detained four men to assist in the investigations and seized a four-wheel-drive vehicle, handphones, cash worth Rp80 million (about US$4,192, US$1 = Rp13,461) as well as precious stones and jewellery believed to belong to the victims. Police believed the crime was carried out by 10 people, and the mastermind was a business associate of the victim. General Criminal Investigation Director for the Metro District, Chief Commissioner Krishna Murti was quoted by the local media as saying Sahlan was kidnapped and tortured for eight days before he was freed on July 23 after he paid part of the ransom. Sahlan, who was involved in the dried fish trade as well as money changing exchange here, was contacted by a man who instructed him to pay Rp500 million at a location, but Sahlan refused to comply. The man then ordered a group of 10 men to storm Sahlan's home here and kidnap five of his younger siblings. They also stole jewellery and a four-wheel-drive vehicle. On July 15, Sahlan surrendered himself to the kidnappers after they threatened to kill all his siblings. "They (the kidnappers) instructed him to go to McDonald's in Cibubur and then took him to a house in the Cijantung district in East Jakarta," Krishna said. At the Cijantung house, Sahlan was tortured with firearms and threatened that he would be killed if he did not pay up Rp500 million. Sahlan then contacted his family in Malaysia to send Rp100 million as well as his luxury van as initial payment to the criminals and said he would pay the remainder if he was released. However, once he was freed last Thursday, Sahlan lodged a police report. --BERNAMA

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