The man who has been detained for kidnapping another man turned out to be an uncle of the victim's wife, who allegedly owed him VND2.5 billion (US$119,000), said the Dong Nai Province police.
54-year-old Ha Xuan Gia, a native of Vinh Phuc Province but resides in Ho Chi Minh City, was arrested Tuesday, a week after his abduction of 34-year-old Le Van Dung, of Trang Bom District, local police reported.
The police seized Gia when he was forcing Le Thanh Hung, Dung’s father, to write a promissory note on behalf of his son.
The police are searching for Gia’s three accomplices, including Vu The Hien, 34, of Vinh Phuc, and two others who are not yet identified.
On December 4, fearful of being tracked down by the police, Gia’s group released Dung in a forest near National Highway 14 in Dong Nai by after holding him hostage for four days, the police said.
Dung, who is former general director of a Southern Telecommunications Joint Stock Company in Binh Duong Province, told the police he was kidnapped on the evening of November 30 when he was taken to dinner by Gia, who later drove him to Dak Nong Province.
Gia asked Dung to call home to instruct his relatives to pay VND3 billion for his release or he would be killed.
After negotiations, the ransom was gradually lowered until it was finally agreed at VND1 billion, and the group asked the victim’s family to pay them VND10 million in advance by wiring the money to a bank account held by a woman in Hanoi.
Dung’s family transferred the money to the account and reported to the police, who launched an investigation and summoned two suspects for questioning.
While the police were tracking down the culprits, the abductors informed Dung’s family that they would release him.
After his arrest, Gia told the police that Dung failed to repay him VND2.5 billion he borrowed from him a long time ago. Gia said he kidnapped Dung only to force his family to repay the amount to him.
Gia asked Hien and two other friends of Hien’s to help him with the kidnapping.
Meanwhile, Dung told the police that in early 2009, Gia contributed VND300 million to Dung’s company at an interest rate of 10 percent per month. Gia later used his house title as a collateral for a loan of VND2.5 billion that Dung’s company borrowed from a bank.
Gia later kept VND1.2 billion of the loan and left the remaining at Dung’s company as his capital contribution, but asked Dung to pay him interest at a rate of 5 percent per month on the full amount of VND2.5 billion.
In July 2011, Gia asked Dung to let him lead the company and keep the company’s seal and business license.
Dung refused Gia’s requests and disagreement arose between the two men until the day Gia kidnapped Dung.