Jobless man gets 20 years for murder

JAKARTA (JP): The district court in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, sentenced a jobless man to 20 years in prison yesterday for killing two toddlers from the Tewah district.

The 23-year-old Ediwardi was found guilty of killing Arnol Garasia and Ika, both aged 3 but unrelated, in a revenge attack against their parents.

In a previous session, prosecutors had demanded that Ediwardi be sentenced to 15 years for the premeditated murder.

Presiding judge Arifin said in the verdict that the tragedy occurred on Nov. 4 last year at about 4 p.m. The accused strangled the children and dumped their bodies in a nearby river.

The defendant removed the children's clothing so it would appear as if the babies had drowned while bathing in the river.

Ediwardi told the court that he killed the children after their parents had made fun of him being unemployed.

Until Ediwardi was arrested, residents of the area were gripped by rumors that a mysterious baby-snatcher was at work in the district.

When the babies' disappearance was reported, Ediwardi pretended to be innocent and helped look for them, Antara reported. (pan)