Three men accused of kidnapping and holding another person hostage have had their charges upgraded to face trial in the ACT Supreme Court.Dean Thomas Coyle, Brenton Joseph James Menteleone, and Sadock Nibizi were initially expected to appear in the ACT Magistrates Court on July 20, 2026, but were committed for trial after prosecutors added five new charges.The men, arrested in September 2025, are alleged to have kidnapped a man to demand repayment of a $200,000 business debt.

Police claim the suspects arranged to meet the victim at Garran shops, threatened him with a baseball bat, and confined him in a vehicle before taking him to Monash.The case was heard at the ACT Law Courts building, with magistrate Glenn Theakston ordering the AFP to cover legal costs for Coyle and Menteleone.The men remain on bail, with the case set for mention in the ACT Supreme Court later this month.The prosecution alleges the men committed aggravated robbery, kidnapping, and attempted burglary, while the defense has entered not guilty pleas.

This case highlights the legal complexities of debt disputes escalating to criminal charges, raising questions about the boundaries between civil and criminal liability in financial conflicts.