Herbal drink-seller killed by police

Herbal drink-seller killed by police

JAKARTA (JP): A seller of jamu (herbal drinks) was beaten to
death on Wednesday night, allegedly by an angry officer of the
National Police elite mobile brigade (Brimob), in front of a
police dormitory at Brimob Headquarters in Kelapa Dua, Depok.

The corpse of Syahrial, 22, lay at Cipto Mangunkusumo General
Hospital (RSCM) morgue on Thursday, was marked with bruises and
had yet to be examined by forensic doctors.

According to witness Second Pvt. Samuel, Syahrial usually sold
his drinks to police officers outside a police dormitory at
Brimob Headquarters.

On Tuesday night, Samuel said, Second Pvt. Nyoman had been
drunk and had vomited on the spot where Syahrial usually sold his
drinks. The act led to a squabble, but nothing more, Samuel said.

The next day, Samuel said, Nyoman apparently realized his
mistake and had gone to apologize to Syahrial.

"However, Syahrial had two Brimob officers standing beside
him, on Wednesday night. This made Nyoman very angry. He probably
felt that he had come to apologize for his behavior, but instead,
Syahrial had ratted on him," Samuel told reporters.

"So, Nyoman began to beat Syahrial, very badly. Syahrial tried
to escape and reached our security post...I was working at the
post that night so I saw the incident. We tried to rush Syahrial
to the hospital, but he died on the way."

There was no information made available about the two other
Brimob officers.(ylt)