Alleged Kidnapper of Missing Malaysian Pastor Acquitted

02/27/2021 Malaysia (International Christian Concern) – A former Uber driver who was accused of abducting Malaysian pastor Raymond Koh, has been acquitted of the charge on February 8 and was freed by the Magistrate’s Court today.

Lam Chang Nam, 31, now only has one other charge against him: he allegedly blackmailed Koh’s son, Jonathan, for RM30,000 in 2017. A decision on this will be delivered by the Petaling Jaya Magistrate’s Court on April 30.

According to Free Malaysia Today, Lam’s lawyer, Aaron Mark Pius, said, “The prosecution told the court they do not wish to proceed with the Section 365 [kidnapping] charge, although they have already called nine witnesses.”

“The defense submitted that he should be given a full acquittal,” he continued, adding that “there should be a finality” to Lam’s long legal battle.

From 2017 until 2019, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) had held a public inquiry into Pastor Koh and activist Amri Che Mat’s disappearance. Last year, Suhakam concluded that Koh and Amri were victims of enforced disappearance carried out by the state, namely the Special Branch police.

Their families also filed lawsuits against the government and police over their disappearance. Lam was believed by many to be the scapegoat for the real culprits hiding behind the state.