19 Jul 2008

Kidnap accused remanded in custody

1:11 pm on 19 July 2008

A 25-year-old man has been charged with the kidnapping of Auckland girl Cina Ma.

The five-year-old was seized while playing outside her North Shore home on Monday afternoon. She was returned to her family on Friday unhurt.

The accused, a Chinese national who works as a real estate agent, was granted interim name suppression when he appeared at North Shore District Court on Saturday.

He was charged with unlawfully carrying off the girl with intent to hold her for ransom and remanded in custody until next Friday.