Main witness in toll road murder arrested

BOGOR (JP): A main witness in the Jagorawi toll road robbery and murder case was arrested by police for involvement in car thefts.

Businessman Idfiel Jaya Anwar, 36, was arrested Wednesday after testifying at Bogor District Court in a case in which his treasurer was killed Oct. 11 last year.

In December police had arrested him for being a mastermind behind a murder and the robbery of Rp 312 million.

But in April he was released by the Prosecutor's Office when another suspect, now a defendant, withdrew his statements of Idfiel's involvement.

Yesterday a prosecutor at district court said Idfiel was arrested for being a fence in at least two thefts; a Toyota Land Cruiser and an Eterna sedan. Police had submitted dossiers on the theft to the Prosecutor's Office in Cibinong, he said.

Police said the vehicles were stolen by Erling Doly Wijaya, alias Mikel, a defendant in the Jagorawi toll road case, and were bought by Idfiel.

Idfiel is now being detained at Paledang prison.

Mikel is one of five defendants in the case of the alleged robbery and murder of Zaenuddin Lesmana. The victim, defendants and Idfiel were all working together in land appropriation for a state-owned housing project in Jonggol.

Meanwhile at yesterday's hearing of the toll road robbery and murder, witnesses included an employee of toll road management PT Jasa Marga.

Employee Ricky WP said that on Oct. 11, 1996, he was patrolling with a colleague from Cibinong to Ciawi, along a lane across from the site of the alleged crime.

"Near kilometer 30 of the toll road (from Jakarta) I saw a blue sedan parked on the grass divide. I thought there was an accident," Ricky said.

He said he then saw someone open the front door and the head and torso of a man fall out of the front seat, while his legs remained in the car.

Ricky said when he was about to cross the road, someone, later identified as Budiarto, another defendant, pointed a gun at him.

"I ran and hid behind some trees," Ricky said.

The man pointing the gun was small and was wearing a light- yellow hat. He had an Eastern Indonesia complexion, he said.

The man then fled in a Kijang van toward Jakarta, he said.

After two or three minutes the witness said he contacted tollgate attendants to prevent the Kijang, with the police number B 1415 N, from passing through toll exits.

He also contacted Jasa Marga ambulance and police. (24/anr)