Lust, betrayal and black magic in S. Jakarta murder

JAKARTA (JP) A public prosecutor demanded that a young man, who is being tried for the murder of a housewife, get 20 years' imprisonment.

"Evidence garnered in former proceedings have shown that the defendant was guilty of murder," Prosecutor HP Silitonga told the South Jakarta district court on Wednesday.

In the indictment, Joko Sudiatmoko was said to have been paid Rp 10 million (US$4,760) to kill Sri Sukarsih, a resident of Jl. Kalibata Utara IV, South Jakarta.

Silitonga told the court that the murder had been planned in Surakarta, Central Java, in February last year. His reporting of the events leading up to and following the murder are as follows:

It all began when the victim's husband Haryanto Dharmo Sucipto started having an affair with Cicilia Suwati, a beautician at Maya salon in Surakarta.

As their relationship grew, they often had illicit rendezvous at a number of hotels. Reportedly, they had agreed to get married at one of them after they had eliminated Sukarsih.

Cicilia then went to a police agent Supardi -- who is now facing a court martial -- to help her and her lover with their problem.

Supardi decided to assist in the murder, and sent Cicilia two soothsayers to have Sukarsih done away with. But the innocent housewife turned out to be invulnerable to their black magic.

Failing to succumb to their magical powers, Cicilia asked Supardi to find her hired killers. Sukardi agreed after Cicilia promised him Rp 10 million.

Supardi then contacted the defendant and Jarot alias Herry, who is now a defendant in a separate murder trial, to help him kill Sukarsih.

In order to formulate his fatal plan, Supardi went to Jakarta alone, pretending to be a tenant who would rent Sukarsih's house. During the visit, Supardi met with Sukarman, Sukarsih's brother, whom he considered to be a potential obstacle to carrying out the murder.

When he came back to Surakarta, Sukardi asked Haryanto to call Sukarman and tell him to come to Surakarta. While Sukarman was in Surakarta, Supardi, Jarot and the defendant went to Jakarta once more to carry out the plan. This time they were successful.

The following day, Sukarman returned to the capital to find that his sister had been murdered. He contacted Haryanto in Surakarta who then went home with his three children.

According to the indictment, before Haryanto left Surakarta, he exchanged his car for an older one. The money he received from the exchange of the cars financed the three hired killers. (11)