Air Force officer held for abusing houseboy

Air Force officer held for abusing houseboy

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta Military Police have detained an Air
Force first lieutenant for allegedly abusing his male
housekeeper, an official said yesterday.

Deputy Commander of the Jakarta Military Police Lt. Col.
Darmadi said First Lt. Setiabudi, who works at the Air Force
Headquarters, was picked up at his residence in Duren Sawit Baru
housing complex, East Jakarta, on Wednesday evening.

"He confessed to having severely beaten and burned his
24-year-old houseboy, Suparjo, who has been under intensive care
at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital since the attack," Darmadi
told The Jakarta Post.

Setiabudi is being detained at the military police
headquarters in Guntur, South Jakarta, pending further
investigation.

"We are currently trying to establish the motive for the
attack. He has told officers that he lost control.

"Basically he said he was upset because of his family's
financial problems. Apparently he took his anger out on the poor
houseboy," he said.

Setiabudi was arrested several hours after he reported his own
crime at the East Jakarta Police precinct.

According to East Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Syahrir Kuba,
Setiabudi at first confused the authorities with his honest
action.

"After noting down his confession we let him go home under
police escort while some of my men tried to verify his claim,"
Syahrir said.

The police then contacted the military police and handed over
dossiers on the case to them.

Suparjo, the houseboy, received severe wounds to his face,
back and feet.

He told media on Wednesday that his employer frequently struck
him with metal bars and beat him on the face.

Setiabudi could be charged with abuse under Article 351 of the
Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of five years
imprisonment. (edt)