'Magic' potion contained poison: Experts
'Magic' potion contained poison: Experts
Nana Rukmana
The Jakarta Post/Tegal
Forensic experts have concluded that a poisonous beverage caused
the death of five local residents, but doctors still remain
undecided about the kind of poison.
"It could be either cyanide or arsenic," head of the forensic
team from Dr. Soesilo General Hospital, Hiesma Setyaka, said on
Sunday.
The forensic team on Saturday conducted autopsies on the
remains of the couple Rofi'i, 55, and Masturoh, 50, and found
excessive levels of poisonous substances in their bodies.
"Based on the autopsy results, a poisonous beverage might have
caused the deaths of these people," Hiesma said.
Autopsies on the bodies of the other three victims, Sarmadi,
45, Suparman, 40, and Rohimah, 40, are expected to confirm the
type of the poison used, added Hiesma.
The five people fell seriously ill and eventually died after
drinking a potion prepared by Iskandar, who was known as the
victims' spiritual guru. Blood was seen flowing from their noses
and mouths when neighbors and relatives found them dead at their
respective homes.
Tegal Police have named Iskandar as a suspect, but have not
kept him in custody because the shaman is still undergoing
treatment at Muhammadiyah Hospital for his mental condition. He
went into shock after hearing that his students had died from the
potion he gave them.
Separately, Pekalongan Police Chief Sr. Comr. Wahyu Daeny has
alleged that Iskandar was also responsible for the death of the
couple Suwirjo, 53, and Ning Tati, 50, who were found dead
recently in the nearby Sekuceng public cemetery in Talok Village,
Tegal. The two were Iskandar's students who lived in the Kejambon
subdistrict.
"In the first interrogation, Iskandar confessed to having
asked his followers to pay Rp 10 million (US$1,100) each and
promised to multiply their money to Rp 1 billion," Wahyu said.
Iskandar also told his students to provide him with sacks of
husked corn as a medium to multiply the bank notes, Wahyu added.
Besides the husked corn, the police also seized other
evidence, including a jenglot (traditional mystical puppet), from
Iskandar.