Two Myanmar nationals plead guilty over attempted abduction
Two Myanmar nationals who had planned to kidnap and murder a fellow countryman pleaded guilty to charges of attempted abduction at the State Courts on Tuesday (21 November).
Phyo Min Naing, 34, and Zaw Min Hlaing, 40 were part of a group of four, all Myanmar nationals, who tried to kidnap Aye Maung Maung Thet, 29, in June 2015.
Phyo admitted to one count of attempted abduction with the intent to wrongfully confine, one of possessing pepper spray and one of possessing a stun gun. Zaw was convicted on one count of wrongful confinement, possessing a foldable knife with a 4cm blade, possessing a stun gun, and four charges related to motor vehicles.
Both decided to pleaded guilty after only three days of trial in August this year.
The mastermind behind the botched plan, Win Kyaw Kyaw Aung, 33, fled Singapore on the day the kidnapping went awry and is still being sought by the police. The fourth member of the group, Yae Wynnt Oaung, 33, was given a discharge not amounting to an acquittal in December 2015.
Phyo, Zaw and Yae had been recruited by Aung, who suspected that their intended target, Aye, was having an affair with Aung’s wife.
The four intended to capture Aye using a van while Aung took Aye’s house keys and searched his house for evidence of the alleged extramarital affair. The group would then bring Aye to a chalet Aung rented at Aloha Changi where Aung would interrogate him about the affair.
Court documents revealed that Aung intended to kill Aye and dispose of his body. When police visited the chalet where the alleged murder was supposed to have taken place, officers seized tools such as a meat mincer, chainsaw, chopper, cable ties, luggage bags from the chalet.
On 21 July 2015 at around 10am, Zaw and Phyo went to the multi-storey carpark at 747A Pasir Ris Street 71. The duo spotted Aye’s car, parked their rented van beside it and laid in wait until night came.
When Aye returned to his car after work, he saw the two men by the van with the vehicle’s side door open. As Aye unlocked his car, Zaw and Phyo approached him from behind.
Phyo grabbed Aye from behind and pushed him towards the van while Aye struggled and shouted for help. His mobile phone and spectacles fell in the struggle. Phyo attempted to use his stun gun on Aye but failed and the device fell to the ground. Zaw helped Phyo in trying to subdue Aye.
The struggle went on for a few minutes until passers-by spotted the fight and the pair let Aye go. Zaw and Phyo fled in their van while Aye called the police.
While driving away, the duo informed Aung that the abduction had failed and the three met up along Tampines Expressway. Aung led the two to Loyang where they changed vehicles.
Zaw drove Phyo and Aung to the chalet where they dropped off Phyo. Zaw later drove Aung to the airport and the latter left for Yangon. Before leaving, Aung instructed Zaw to return the rented vehicles and for Phyo and Yae to clear out the chalet.
Police managed to track the van and ambushed Zaw at around 1pm on 22 June 2015 when the latter returned the van to the rental company. Zaw later led police to the chalet where Phyo and Yae were arrested.
Aye sustained abrasions over his cheek, and bruises on his limbs. He was placed on medical leave for one day.
Both Zaw and Phyo will be back in court on Friday for their sentencing.
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