Jiangang Ji pleads guilty to kidnapping and false imprisonment

A man bound and gagged his boss’ wife in Blackburn North before driving off with the family’s children aged three and five and demanding $1m for their safe return.

Jiangang Ji went to his boss’ Blackburn North home and kidnapped his two children aged three and five.

A former Melbourne plasterer has admitted bounding and gagging his boss’ wife before kidnapping their two young children and demanding a $1m ransom for their return.

Shocking details of Jiangang Ji’s crimes were aired on the first day of his trial in the County Court on Wednesday as he faced three charges including assault against the children’s mother. The jury was told Ji pleaded guilty to five other charges including kidnapping, false imprisonment, aggravated burglary and vehicle theft but denied the other offences.

The court heard Ji, then aged 36, waited in his car for an hour before his boss, who had employed him as a plasterer on and off for a year, left his Blackburn North home early on the morning of August 23, 2021.

Prosecutor Kristie Churchill told the jury Ji broke into the home via an unlocked side window while his boss’ wife was still in bed.

But the woman got up to investigate after feeling the “presence of somebody” inside her home. “She gets up and is confronted,” Ms Churchill said.

Carrying a knife, Ji pushed the woman to the ground before bounding her legs and arms and taping her mouth and eyes shut.

He made demands for money before abducting the woman’s two young children, aged five and three, and placing them into the boot of the family’s black Mercedes-Benz.

Ji returned to the home, carrying the woman to the master bedroom where it’s alleged he assaulted her by drawing a knife against her stomach, causing a superficial laceration.

He then left the home, driving the stolen Mercedes-Benz to his Mitcham home with the children.

Using the mother’s stolen SIM card, Ji called his boss and demanded $1m for the return of his children.

After Ji had left, the mother was able to get up and flag down passer-bys while still bound and gagged.

Police were able to quickly identify Ji because his red Toyota Camry had been left parked outside the family’s home.

His home was placed under surveillance before police swooped and arrested him just after 7pm, about 12 hours after the children’s abduction, as he went to move the stolen car.

The two children were found in the back seat of the vehicle, with police also seizing a knife found in the passenger seat.

During his police interview, Ji admitted taking the children.

But his lawyer Carmela Pezzimenti said her client denied the other allegations and asked jurors to put aside their preconceptions on the outstanding charges.

“These other charges didn’t happen,” she said.

Ji showed little emotion and required the assistance of a Mandarin interpreter as he sat in the dock.

The trial, before Judge Gabriele Cannon, continues.