Hotel cashier shot dead at party

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A New Year's party reveler shot dead an employee of the Hilton Hotel, Central Jakarta, at about 3:30 a.m. on Saturday after a brief quarrel.

The police declined to reveal details of the incident, but witnesses said that Adiguna Sutowo, the younger brother of Pontjo Sutowo, one of the hotel shareholders, pulled the trigger.

Johannes, 25, a cashier at the bar, told Adiguna that his credit card had been rejected and asked whether he had another, witnesses said.

"One of the ladies with Adiguna mocked the cashier, asking whether he knew who he was talking to. It was not clear whether Johannes replied, but Adiguna suddenly took the gun and fired at him," another barman told The Jakarta Post.

Johannes died on the spot with a bullet wound to the head.

The police arrived in 30 minutes and sealed off the place.

The city police general crimes detective chief, Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang, confirmed the incident, saying that the case was being handled by the Central Jakarta Police.

However, a police source close to the investigation said that although no suspects had been named, Adiguna was a potential suspect.

"We're still questioning him," the police source told the Post.

A forensics staff member at Cipto Mangunkusumo General Hospital, Bambang, confirmed that Johannes died from a single gunshot wound to the head.