Four more skeletons found

MEDAN: Four more skeletons of women allegedly killed by the notorious shaman, Achmad Suradji, alias Datuk, have been found buried in a sugar plantation in Sei Semayang, North Sumatra, over the last two days.

This brings to 20 the number of women's skeletons and bodies believed to have been killed by the 45-year-old Datuk.

Local police officers, assisted by residents, dug up the four skeletons in separate places yesterday and Wednesday. Three of them were found in one grave Wednesday while the other was found not far from the first site.

The state-owned sugar plantation company, PTON II, lent its heavy equipment to make the excavations possible.

"All the skeletons were sent to the Pirngadi General Hospital for laboratory examinations. Temporary examinations show all the remains are of women," a police officer said.

"The cause of their death is expected to be known tomorrow," the officer said.

The shaman has admitted to killing 42 women, of the 70 he planned to kill for the sake of his "supernatural power".

Police were alerted to the killer when a man reported to police that his daughter disappeared after going to the shaman's house for treatment.

Two of the shaman's three wives have also been detained for assisting their husband.

The Local evening daily, Garuda, reported Thursday that the shaman was proven mentally sane. (21/sur)