'Disturbed' man kills niece

BEKASI: Asmat Sani Boim, 50, allegedly stabbed to death his own niece Sopyan, 39, on Friday morning over a trivial matter.

In his statement to the West Bekasi police, Asmat said that Sopyan, who lived next door in Bintara subdistrict, had awakened him up at about 6:30 a.m. by knocking on the door of his house and asked him to turn on the water pump machine.

The pump feeds water to both houses.

Annoyed, Asmat took a kitchen knife, opened the door and stabbed Sopyan in the heart, Tempointeraktif news portal reported on Saturday.

Neighbors who witnessed it, reported it to the police, who later arrested the suspect in his house.

Police chief Adj. Comr. Suyatno said that the suspect did not deny anything. "We're now examining his psychological health. The neighbors said he was mentally disturbed." -- JP