Family attacks officers

Family attacks officers

JAKARTA (JP): City police have charged a family of four in
Central Jakarta for allegedly having attacked and wounded at
least five police officers, including a policewoman, and three
civilians.

"It's a crime and we have enough evidence and witnesses to
bring them to court," city police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang
Haryoko said yesterday.

Suryabara, 53, his wife Yohana, 47, and their children, Wempi
Suryabara, 21, and Timotius Tertellyanus Ngefak, 15, were
arrested on Wednesday, after spraying battery acid, using a fire
extinguisher, onto a group of uniformed police officers and three
civilians, assigned to evict the family from their house.

The victims suffered burns to their faces, hands, legs and
other parts of their bodies. Some also sustained wounds to their
faces caused by stones allegedly thrown by the Suryabaras.

If guilty, each family member may face a maximum prison term
of nine months.

All victims were rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency
treatment.

"Some of them are still unable to go to work," Bambang said.

The wounded policewoman is identified as Major Sergeant
Marwiyati, and her partners as Major Sergeant Watono, First
Sergeant Rudy Mulyono, Second Sergeant Faizal and Corporal
Suratno. The other victims are identified as Hasya B., a member
of the city housing agency, and Arjan and Suradi, both hired
removers.

According to a decree issued by the State Administrative
Court, the house on Jl. Kramat VII/33 legally belongs to Fatmah,
who lives on Jl. Malabar, South Jakarta.

Suryabara also strongly believes that he is the rightful owner
of the property, which he claims to have purchased from someone
named Syaefuddin, about 25 years ago.

Suryabara and Fatmah once tried to settle the dispute but
failed as Fatmah only wanted to pay Rp 44 million (US$19,670) out
of the Rp 250 million demanded by Suryabara.

Officers tried in March to ask the Suryabaras to leave the
house but failed when Suryabara wanted them to show a decree from
the court.

Before the incident took place on Wednesday, head of the city
housing agency Simon Duma handed over the court's decree to
Suryabara, who became angry soon after he read the letter.

Police seized four swords, two knives, two wooden lances, a
jerrican of battery acid and a fire extinguisher, from the scene
of the crime.

Police also found gasoline spread on the floor of the house,
which they believed was to be ignited by the family.

The Suryabaras are being detained at the Central Jakarta
police station for further investigation. (bsr)