Kramat Jati killers nabbed in 24 hours

JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives took less than 24 hours to arrest a man and two suspected hired assassins in connection with the Tuesday killing of a Kramat Jati market vendor at his home in East Jakarta.

The detectives' speedy work was mainly due to the valuable information gained from the victim's neighbors and relatives, city police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday.

"The arrest also went smoothly as all of the suspects were located at one place," he said.

Such speedy work in arresting murder suspects is a rarity for the Jakarta Police detectives due to their lack of personnel and equipment.

According to Aritonang, Musarin, 40, and the two hired killers, Herman, 23, and Andi Pilliyang, 28, were nabbed at the mastermind's house in Duku subdistrict, which is adjacent to the scene of the crime.

The detectives went there after one of the victim's neighbors recognized Pilliyang, who lived in the same subdistrict, and gave the officers his home address.

Musarin, he said, admitted to being the mastermind of the murder for he had a deep grudge against vendor Yusri, 26, who used to be his close friend in their hometown in the West Sumatra capital of Padang.

Musarin said the victim used to beat him and accuse him of doing things he had not done.

"Apparently he harbored his vengeance until he finally decided to end Yusri's life," Aritonang said.

To carry out the plan, Musarin promised Herman and Pilliyang Rp 300,000 (US$26) in cash if they could complete the mission, the officer added.

On Tuesday, Musarin went to the Kramat Jati market to check the victim was at his shop.

"After locating him, Musarin called the two men he had already hired for the job and hatched his plan," Aritonang said.

Musarin then handed over Rp 90,000 to the two as a down payment, he said.

Later in the afternoon, Herman and Pilliyang picked up Yusri at the market and told the victim that a friend of his wanted to see him.

Yusri was then taken to his house at Kampung Tengah, where Musarin was waiting on the terrace, Aritonang said.

"Not realizing that his life was in danger, Yusri asked the three people to go inside his house."

The police gave no details of Yusri's marital status but said there was nobody else in the house at the time.

Once inside the house, Pilliyang struck Yusri on the head with a wooden plank, sending him to the floor.

The three then repeatedly beat the defenseless vendor before Herman landed a fatal stab which ended Yusri's life, Aritonang said.

They then took some Rp 200,000 from the victim's pockets and left the scene.

The three suspects are currently detained at city police headquarters, awaiting the completion of their dossiers.

Two wallets, a machete (believed to have been used in the killing) and Rp 276,000 in cash were seized from the suspects as evidence.

When asked by reporters about the plotted killing of his own friend, Musarin admitted he lost control.

"I felt terrible. But he (Yusri) was really mean to me. I just could not take it anymore," he said.

The other two suspects said they accepted Musarin's offer mainly because they needed the money badly.

"But I never thought that it would turn out as complicated as this. I felt sorry," Herman said.

The three will be charged under Article 340 of the Criminal Code covering murder which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and Article 365 for theft with violence which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. (edt)