Man kills himself in front of lover

JAKARTA (JP): Kemayoran Police detectives in Central Jakarta announced on Monday they have found 51-year-old Bambang Santosa's fingerprints on a kitchen knife found next to his corpse.

Based on the finding, Kemayoran Police chief Maj. Edy Iswanto revealed that the businessman had committed suicide in front of his girlfriend at the Sultana hotel, Jl. Gunung Sahari Raya, on Saturday night.

The police would free the victim's girlfriend, Denny Octavianti, 22, from all charges and release her from police detention on Tuesday, the officer said.

" Bambang stabbed himself in his thighs to prove his love to Denny, who wanted him to marry her. When the already married Bambang said no, she accused him of not loving her.

"To prove his love, he stabbed himself. He bled to death," Edy said.

Denny was initially thought by police to be the main suspect in Bambang's death.

An officer who requested anonymity believed the woman was a prostitute and the victim was her client.

"She has denied it though," he said on Sunday.

According to a hotel staffer, the couple checked in to room number 105 at about 4 p.m. on the day of the suicide.

"The night shift staff started to receive complaints at about 7:30 p.m. from other guests in nearby rooms who said that the people in room number 105 were making too much noise," the staffer said.

Half an hour later, a group of hotel workers finally knocked on the door of the room. They were received by the woman.

"They then saw Bambang bleeding from his thighs. There was a bloody kitchen knife on the bed. The woman said the man was trying to commit suicide," he said.

Police have cordoned off the room. (ylt)