Bodies of jobseekers found

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): The remaining six bodies of nine people who were aspiring to work overseas and allegedly killed by their recruiting agent have been found, police said Saturday.

Police had scoured nearby rivers but the victims were found elsewhere in the province. The remains of Tinggal, Syarif and Arifin were found in Kebumen, the body of Taka was found in Purworejo and Amijaya Firdaus' body was found in Tegal. The sixth murder victim, Hamzah, was found in Adipala, Cilacap.

It is yet to be explained how the remains of the victims, killed at different times between December and early March, reached these areas, but local police in the respective areas have reported that bodies were found in their jurisdictions a month ago. Banyumas police claimed the bodies were those of the missing.

On Sunday relatives of the deceased were scheduled to take home the bodies after autopsies had been conducted.

Banyumas Police chief Lt. Col. Johnny Hutauruk said the suspect, Aidit, was still being questioned on whether there were other victims.

The suspect had told police that he had killed the nine people because they had continually pestered him about going to work in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darrusalam as he had promised. They paid him millions of rupiah, but he said their passports were yet to be issued. He claimed that he killed them in panic with the help of an accomplice, who has also been arrested. (45)