Tue, 29 Aug 1995

Child witness identifies suspect

BENGKULU: Eight-year-old Marlina, the sole survivor and witness of the brutal murder of her family, displayed fear and cried as she was asked to identify the four suspects believed to have murdered the Hasanudin family.

"'Yes that's right, they killed Pendi and Bambang with a chopping knife by the river,'" said Rejang Lebong police chief Lt. Col. Julius Srijono, quoting Marlina, who spoke in local dialect.

Marlina's father, Hasanudin, 38, her mother, Iyem, 35, and her three brothers and sisters Pendi, 12, Bambang, 5, and Ida, 2, were murdered and their bodies burned in their hut on Aug. 10. The suspected murderers are aged between 17 and 30 years.

Srijono told Antara yesterday that, based on Marlina's reaction, police had concluded that they had the right suspects.(mds)