A part-time Uber driver was charged in the Petaling Jaya Magistrate's Court today with extorting RM30,000 from the son of a pastor who was abducted on Feb 13. 

Lam Chang Nam, 31, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read out before Magistrate Mohd Azali Ibrahim.

According to the charge, he had allegedly extorted Jonathan Koh Szu Hao, 33, by demanding RM30,000 to free his father at Paradigm Mall, Kelana Jaya at 8.46pm on March 6.

Lam was charged under Section 285 of the Penal Code which provides a maximum jail term of seven years or fine or caning or any of the two punishments. 

The court however, did not allow bail to prevent Szu Hao from intimidation and set April 26 for case re-mention.

Earlier, the media reported that Pastor Raymond Koh, 62, was on his way to meet a friend when he was abducted by a group of masked men in Jalan SS4B/10 in Petaling Jaya.

- Bernama