Maid killed in South Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): Police believe a woman whose body was found in a house in the Bumi Bintaro Permai housing complex in Pesanggrahan, South Jakarta, was killed by her boyfriend Wednesday evening.

South Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto said yesterday Sulastri, 28, a housemaid, was found by her employer Nana Hasanah, 31, a Citibank employee, at about 8 p.m. in a bathroom on the second floor of the house on Jl. Puspita.

"Police speculated Sulastri's face was smothered with a pillow," Sisno said.

The killer also strangled the victim with a rope, he said, adding officers found wounds on Sulastri's head and neck.

They thought the maid had had sex before she was killed, he said.

Nana told police that Sulastri met a construction worker, identified as Rubi, three days ago.

She said Sulastri probably met the man at his workplace.

Nana also reported to the police that a necklace, earrings, six wristwatches, and US$600, and A$400 in cash were missing from a drawer in her bedroom.

She said Sulastri had worked at her house for a year. Sulastri, whose child lived in her home village in Banyumas, Central Java, had separated from her husband Suherman, a construction worker living in Pondok Aren, South Jakarta.

Sisno said police were still hunting for Sulastri's boyfriend.

On May 30, police arrested a man for allegedly killing a maid in Bekasi who had rejected his attempt to kiss her. The man, a food vendor identified only as Ag, allegedly stabbed Jamilah to death and hid the body in a bathroom. (jun)