Death of maid at Briton's home still a mystery

JAKARTA (JP): The death of a 26-year-old maid at an expatriate house in South Jakarta is still shrouded in mystery, as police forensic experts and hospital pathologists are remaining incommunicado on that case.

"We handed over our preliminary findings on the case to the Jakarta Police Headquarters a few days ago," South Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto told The Jakarta Post here on Saturday.

"It is headquarters, not the police precinct, that has the authority to investigate any crimes believed to be linked to foreigners," Sisno said.

Head of the City Police detectives, Col. Adang Rismanto, had told reporters that the case was being handled by the South Jakarta police.

"We have assigned some detectives to help the South Jakarta officers investigate the case," Adang told reporters on Friday.

"I haven't been briefed on their preliminary findings yet," he said.

When contacted on Saturday for comment, forensic pathologist Mun'im Idris from state-owned Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital said that he was unaware of the death of Oom Komalasari.

"I'm sorry, I don't know anything about that," Mun'im said.

The body of Komalasari was brought to the Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital on Wednesday for post-mortem examination.

According to Sisno, the maid was found dead at the house of a Briton on Jl. Ampera III in Ragunan.

Reports said that the woman, whose marital status remains unknown, was five months pregnant.

Both police and the forensic pathologist refused to explain the cause of Komalasari's death.

"Only the post-mortem report, which we haven't received from the hospital, can explain the cause of her death and whether she was pregnant," officer Sisno said.

"We haven't even received report from the police forensic experts about their findings at the scene of crime," Sisno said.

So far, Sisno said, the Briton, whose identity is still being withheld, "has not been questioned by the local police."

"It's the Jakarta Police which has the right to question foreigners," he argued.

Spokesman of the Jakarta Police, Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna could not be reached for comment over the weekend. (bsr)