BIN agent's wife murdered

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Bekasi Police are investigating the brutal murder of Barkah Hanny, 41, and her driver.

The deceased woman was the wife of Abdulrahman Pelu, an agent with the National Intelligence Agency.

The police questioned 10 people on Monday as witnesses in connection with the case, including Abdulrahman Pelu and a number of his relatives.

Barkah, a resident of Jatikramat, Bekasi, and her driver, Rohmat, were found dead with multiple stab wounds in a pickup truck parked on Jl. Kampung Setu in Bintara Jaya, West Jakarta, early on Sunday.

"There are 10 witnesses being questioned at the moment, including the deceased woman's husband and some of his relatives," Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono told reporters on Monday, while declining to reveal any further information.

Jakarta Police chief Insp. Firman Gani confirmed that the police were questioning those who had been among the last to see Barkah Hanny and Rohmat alive, as well as the person who found their bodies.

"We hope that the ongoing investigation will reveal the motive behind the murder. It is not clear so far whether it was just a random killing, an act of revenge, whether the motive was material gain or whether it was due to infidelity or a family dispute," he said.

The bodies were found in the front of the truck, which was used by Barkah to deliver furniture from her shop, by an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver.

The police also found a brick at the crime scene, which they believe had been used to batter the victims.

Barkah had been stabbed twice in the neck. Bruising on her face and back indicated that she had also been beaten by a blunt object.

Rohmat, a resident of Karang Tembung in Cirebon, West Java, was stabbed 11 times in the chest and three times in the back, as well as being hit with a blunt object on the back of the head and on the forehead.

No valuables appear to have been taken by the assailants.

Some of Barkah's neighbors said that she and Rohmat left the house she had been renting for the past two years on Saturday afternoon.

They said that although they had no idea where Barkah was going, they were accustomed to her being away for days at a time and to people visiting her house, which doubled as a furniture workshop.

According to the neighbors, Abdulrahman, Barkah's husband, who was usually away on duty, was at home on the night of the incident. The couple had three children.