Major's murder not premeditated: Gen. Banurusman

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro said yesterday that preliminary investigations indicated that last week's murder of a police major had not been premeditated.

"On the basis of eyewitnesses' accounts, the incident occurred spontaneously because the suspect was unable to control his emotions," he said of the Friday's killing of Maj. Noenang Kohar, chief of the Pademangan police subdistrict in North Jakarta.

Banurusman told reporters that investigators were still cross- checking the accounts provided by eyewitnesses, including drivers of bajaj (small three-wheeled passenger transport vehicles) and bystanders.

Other police sources said yesterday they were still in the dark about who murdered the former head of the drugs unit of the narcotics division of the city police crime investigation directorate.

"The investigation is still going on," deputy city police chief Brig. Gen. Hamami Nata said separately yesterday.

According to City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Permantoro, police interrogators are still questioning a number of witnesses to collect more detailed information.

Bambang brushed aside press reports that the suspect was a member of the Armed Forces (ABRI).

Maj. Noenang, 38, the newly-appointed head of the Pademangan police, was fatally stabbed by a passenger of a bajaj on Jl. Wisma Jaya, East Jakarta, on his way home from his office at approximately 7 p.m. last Friday.

On the basis of the scene of the crime, the way in which the suspect stabbed the officer and the type of the knife used to kill Noenang, several reporters have speculated in the local press that the killing might have been plotted and executed by an ABRI member.

Bambang rejected unconfirmed reports that the police had, in fact, already caught the suspect but that they were keeping it secret because the man they were holding was a member of ABRI.

"How they can come to such a conclusion if the investigation is still going on?" asked Bambang.

Head of the Pulogadung police precinct, Maj. Soekiman, who was assigned to lead the hunt for the suspect, told reporters: "In the name of God, I swear that I we have not made any arrest."

Noenang, married with three children, quit his position only last week as head of the drugs unit at the city police headquarters.

Friday's murder is currently believed to have been the culmination of a heated argument between the passenger and the officer that ensued after Noenang's jeep brushed the bajaj.

The officer, wearing civilian clothes, is said to have stopped and spoken with the driver of the bajaj, which was carrying one passenger.

According to police sources, the passenger -- described by witnesses as a "well-built" man -- was upset about the delay caused by the accident, and then shouted obscene words at the police officer.

Offended, Noenang eyeballed the angry passenger and approached him only to be stabbed in the abdomen. The passenger then fled the scene, as did the bajaj driver, identified only as "Iwan".

Police officers declined to comment on suggestions that the suspect had killed Noenang because the officer had been rude to him.

At the Pulogadung police sub-precinct station yesterday, Sarmin, the bajaj's mechanic, said that Iwan had been "picked up" by police on Saturday morning for interrogation. (bsr)