Mum of Chinese men, 18, who allegedly faked own kidnapping in M'sia, wanted to withdraw police report

The 40-year-old mother of an 18-year-old man, who allegedly faked his own kidnapping in Malaysia with a 23-year-old accomplice, said she wanted to withdraw her initial police report, China Press reported.

This was after it was suspected that the kidnapping ruse was to extort up to five million yuan (S$900,586) in ransom from the younger man's parents.

Ye Yingxi, 18, reportedly from the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM), and Zhang Runbao, 23, reportedly a student at the National University of Singapore (NUS), were charged in a Malaysia court on May 13.

Withdraw police report

Earlier in the day, China Press reported that Ye's mother is willing to make a second police report to withdraw her first police report.

This was after a demand was made for her to pay a ransom on May 2.

The mother had received photos and videos of her son supposedly being held hostage.

She then found out that her son was implicated in the ruse.

Ye's lawyer Ramesh Sivakumar told the court on Tuesday that the accused's mother wanted the case to be withdrawn and hoped that her son would be released on bail pending trial.

Ramesh also said Ye does not pose a flight risk and is studying in Singapore.

However, China Press reported that the judge said Ye's mother wanting to withdraw the case with the police was not an issue he would consider at this stage of the hearing.

The two Chinese nationals were charged on May 13.

Top photos via China Press & Sin Chew Daily