'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.