Man arrested for kidnapping

JAKARTA (JP): Police arrested a man Monday for kidnapping his former employer's five-year-old son on Jl. Raden Inten, in Duren Sawit, East Jakarta.

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday Rohim, 22, and a suspected accomplice, identified only as Ags, kidnapped the five-year-old boy, who was playing with a kite near his house at around 3 p.m. The boy's name was only revealed as Pu.

An hour later, Ags phoned the victim's mother and demanded Rp 25 million (US$10,416) in ransom, Aritonang said.

"The suspects threatened to kill the boy if Es (the mother) reported to police," he said.

He said the suspects asked Es to bring the money to a parking lot at the Ramayana department store in Pondok Gede, Bekasi.

But the businesswoman, who owned a store, reported to the police, he said. The suspect was believed to have harbored a grudge because he had been fired by Es.

Aritonang said Es, who was followed by police officers, brought the money to the parking lot.

He said Ags approached Es' car and asked the mother to show the money which was packed in a newspaper.

Police officers then followed Ags behind Ramayana and saw Rohim and the boy.

Rohim, who tried to escape, was shot twice in the legs while Ags escaped, Aritonang said. Rohim was then treated at East Jakarta's Kramatjati Police Hospital. (jun)