Former athlete beaten to death
Former athlete beaten to death
JAKARTA (JP): A former national pencak silat athlete was
beaten to death Wednesday night by about 20 people in an
apparently unmotivated attack near the Klender market in East
Jakarta.
The victim was identified as Robinson Hutasoit alias Ucok, 35,
a resident of Rawa Bebek, Pulo Gebang in East Jakarta.
Ucok's mother, Pinta Hutasoit, who was undergoing medical
treatment at the Bogor general hospital after suffering a stroke,
insisted on going to the Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital morgue in
Central Jakarta yesterday to see her beloved son's body.
"Ucok looked after me when I was sick. It's me who was sick
but he's the one who died," 65-year-old Pinta said.
Continuous screams and wailing echoed around the morgue as
friends and relatives arrived to join the grieving family.
Ucok was the youngest of seven children, Pinta said, adding
that he was harsh at times but very kind. "I am so proud of him,"
she said.
Ucok won the gold medal in the Jakarta Pencak Silat
Championship in 1985 and was selected for the eleventh National
Games (PON XI) in the same year. He won a bronze medal at the
games, she said proudly.
"He was jobless, but lately he said he wanted to set up a
small business of his own," Pinta said.
It is thought Ucok was set upon following a dispute with two
unknown people in the Klender market.
After the argument, at about 8 p.m. Wednesday, the two
returned with others and attacked Ucok.
"He (Ucok) was a master of self-defense but 20 people were too
many for him," a relative who refused to be named said.
He said the mob was finally dispersed by police who arrived at
the scene after being alerted by a frightened witness.
Ucok, however, died on the way to the nearby hospital due to
the severe injuries he sustained.
The body was then sent to the Cipto Mangunkusumo hospital
morgue by the Duren Sawit police subprecinct for a post-mortem.
A morgue employee said Ucok's head was nearly broken in two
pieces, while his body were marked with several bruises. Both
palms had been pierced with sharp weapons. (04)