Three Pakistanis and a Singaporean were charged in a court today with abducting a South African diplomat last month.

Deputy High Commissioner Nicky Scholtz, 54, reported that he was forced into a car as he walked along a Kuala Lumpur street on May 23, robbed and held prisoner for several days before being freed.

Pakistani nationals Nisar Ahmad Khan Sardar Ali Khan, 35, Arshad Mehmood Mohammad Shafi, 38, and Shahid Mehmood Muhamad Bashir Ahmad, 28, and Singaporean Narajan Singh Ujagar Singh, 67, pleaded not guilty to the charge of abducting him, the Bernama news agency said.

The three Pakistanis were also charged with stealing a chequebook, a South African passport, 200 dollars, 10,000 Taiwan dollars and a handphone from Scholtz's hotel room.

All the accused were denied bail. Judge Akhtar Tahir fixed the trial for Dec 8.

Random attack

Scholtz, a bachelor who arrived in Malaysia last month, was the victim of "what appears to have been a random attack on the mistaken assumption that he was a solitary foreign tourist", the South African embassy said.

If convicted, the suspects face a maximum jail term of seven years for abducting Scholtz and up to 10 years for theft, Bernama said.

Arshad Mehmood also faced charges of stealing a watch, RM500 and credit cards from Scholtz outside the hotel along with Shahid Mehmood, Narajan Singh and a fourth suspect still at large, it said. This charge carries a maximum 14 years' imprisonment and fine or whipping upon conviction. - AFP