`Ida did not commit suicide,' say her relatives
`Ida did not commit suicide,' say her relatives
JAKARTA (JP): Relatives of a 32-year-old bank secretary, who was found dead hanging on a rope in her house two months ago, have rejected the police's conclusion that she committed suicide.
Based on material evidence found at the scene, the relatives of Ida Rezeki, a secretary of the privately-owned Bank Niaga, believe that the victim may have been tortured to death before being hung on the plastic rope.
Speaking to The Jakarta Post and Kompas here yesterday, Ida's father, however, said that he has no idea who was behind the killing, hoping that the South Jakarta police, which are handling the case, can review their conclusion and speed up their investigation.
"We deeply regret the clumsy work of the South Jakarta police in investigating this case," said Mohamad Isa, 73, a former accountant.
Ida's brother-in-law, Arrizal Boer, who works as a lawyer, added: "The police should question more people and investigate more intensively before drawing a conclusion.
"How could they make such a conclusion if the post mortem on Ida's body has not yet been taken by them from the Cipto Mangukusumo general hospital?" Boer asked.
Ida was found dead by her husband, Harry Fardiman, also 32, along with some neighbors at around 1 p.m. on April 30 at the couple's house at PN Timah housing complex Number 61 in Cilandak, South Jakarta.
Harry's alibi
During questioning, Harry said that he arrived home from work on that Saturday at about 12:30 a.m. and found the door locked. When his spare key failed to open it, he drove to the house of Ida's parents to ask for another key. However, he still couldn't open the door.
Later, he said, he saw from the front window a key inserted into the inside lock.
Harry then called some of his neighbors and broke the window and turned the key from outside.
After calling her name many times, he later found Ida hanging near the kitchen. He informed Isa and then reported the case to the police.
A month later, the South Jakarta police rendered its verdict.
The police precinct's head, Lt. Col. Adang Rismanto, said: "Based on all evidence available and information from witnesses, we have concluded that she committed suicide."
First Lieutenant Eddy Tambunan, head of the Hard-Crime Investigation of the police precinct, theorized that the bruises found on Ida's body were caused by her body scratching against the wall when she failed to tighten the rope to a wooden block on the ceiling.
Eddy also believed that the rope was taken by Ida herself from the drying cloth poles. He said police have learned that the couple had a harmonious marriage.
Lawyer Boer commented: "We were deeply hurt by the police conclusion as printed in the Jakarta Post on May 28."
Boer, Isa and Ida's other relatives said it was highly improbable for one to commit suicide at the scene.
They said that they had found no chairs which could have been used by Ida to tie the rope to the upper block of the ceiling.
"It seems to us that the rope has been well prepared," Isa said.
Isa, who arrived on the scene while Ida was still hanging on the rope, said that his daughter's eyes were almost closed, unlike most suicide victims whose eyes are wide open.
Isa and Ida's relatives said that they found several bruises on the victim's breasts and hands.
On that fateful day, Isa said, Harry came to his house at 1:40 p.m., asking for a spare key.
Fifteen minutes later, he said, he received a call from Harry, saying that Ida was in a critical condition.
Isa also witnessed that Ida was no longer wearing her wedding ring on her finger.
Housemaid
Boer said that he was wondering why the police had not questioned several other witnesses, including the couple's former housemaid, identified as Ina, 18.
Ida was a secretary at the Information System Group of the Bank Niaga headquarters and Harry is a staffer of PT DwiTunggal IntiPerkasa, a building contractor firm. The couple, who had no children, married three years ago.
According to his colleague, Harry had taken a two-week leave after the death of his wife and then resigned from the firm.
Sources also said that he had sold his car and no longer rented the house, which he and his wife had rented for Rp 250,000 (US$116) per month since February. (bsr)