KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - A 24-year-old man was charged at a magistrate's court here with kidnapping a 12-year-old girl whom he befriended through the Internet.

How Yung Teng, from Kuala Lipis, Pahang, was accused of abducting Choong Jia Ynn from the Miharja LRT station in Cheras here on March 24 at around 6.15am.

The handphone seller claimed trial.

A conviction for the offence, under Section 363 of the Penal Code, is punishable with imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine.

Assistant Public Prosecutor Suhaima Mohd Noor proposed a bail of RM7,000.

When asked if he had a bailor, How said his elder sister would post bail but added that he had to call her first.

Magistrate Wan Nursalena Wan Abdullah told him to forward his request to the police.

She then fixed the case for mention on June 3 to allow How to appoint a lawyer.

Bail was not posted.