JP/3/BENGSENG

JP/3/BENGSENG

Police investigate murder of businessman

JAKARTA (JP): Police said Saturday a man who ran a number of entertainment businesses was killed by four masked assailants in the yard of his second wife's mansion in Pluit, North Jakarta, late last week.

"We're still questioning the driver of the victim and a security guard at a nearby house," spokesman for City Police Headquarters, Lt. Col. A. Latief Rabar, said.

Latief said the police have confiscated the scabbard of a samurai blade found at the scene of murder, along with the victim's Mercedes Benz as evidence.

"So far, neither of the two witnesses can identify any of the attackers," he explained.

The businessman, identified as Nyo Beng Seng, alias Darmansyah Suyadi, 57, was stabbed 12 times at 2 a.m. on Friday by a group of at least four masked men in front of his house at Jl. Pluit Kencana Raya 128.

Police sources believe the group was paid by a business competitor to kill Beng Seng.

"They were very professional and disciplined people. They didn't take anything from the victim, such as his Rolex watch or his Mercedes Baby Benz car," said an informed police source.

Besides being widely known as the owner of the Irama Tara cassette and video recording firm, Beng Seng also owned a number of nightclubs, massage parlors and beauty salons. Many of his business activities are located in the Kota area.

His first wife, Anita, 56, said that Beng Seng, who had lived with his second wife, Tuti Sulastri, 47, in Pluit for a long time, was in the habit of playing a Chinese gambling game all night long.

Harmony

"So far, our families have never been involved in any kind of clash, whether about money or business. In my opinion, we live in harmony," Adnan, 30, Beng Seng's son from Anita, told The Jakarta Post.

Beng Seng's driver, identified as Saman, 45, told investigators from the Penjaringan police subprecinct that he drove his employer to his second wife's house in Pluit from Jl. Mangga Besar VIII at about 1:30 a.m. Friday.

The two-story house, located on a plot of land measuring around 800 square-meters, is equipped with a remote sensor control at its gate and a television monitor.

According to Ningsih, a housemaid at the victim's residence, the monitor had not worked for months.

Quoting Saman, Adnan said that the murderers were waiting for Beng Seng in a minibus parked near the house.

"Because the gate was controlled by a remote sensor system, it opened and closed back slowly, so the murderers had the chance to get in," Adnan said.

Saman said that Beng Seng was stabbed as he stepped out of the car.

The driver did not realize that something had happened to his employer until he heard him screaming for help.

"I got out of the car, embraced him for support and cried for help from his second wife, Tuty, and their 20-year-old daughter, Verawaty, inside at the house," Saman said.

On the way to the Atmajaya hospital, Beng Seng, who is also a Kung Fu athlete, spoke in Mandarin to Tuty and Verawaty.

"I don't understand what he said as I don't know Mandarin," Saman said.

The businessman died 15 minutes later at the hospital.

Beng Seng will be buried in Bogor on Wednesday. (bsr)