Marines implicated in Asaba shooting

Marines implicated in Asaba shooting

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Navy is currently questioning four Marine soldiers
over their alleged involvement in the murders of a businessman
and his Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) bodyguard last month.

The four soldiers are identified as Second Lt. SAS, Corporal
SR, Corporal FH and First Pvt. SS from the Second Marine Brigade
based in Cilandak, South Jakarta, the Navy spokesman, Commodore
Adhyaman A. Saputra, said on Wednesday.

"Following the reports of the police and other sources, our
internal affairs department have been questioning the four
soldiers. They have been detained at the Navy's military police
detention center, here (at the Navy headquarters in Cilangkap,
East Jakarta) since July 31," he said.

"The investigation is focusing on the murders of PT Asaba
president director Boedyharto Angsono and his bodyguard (First.
Sgt. Edy Siyet)," he added.

Adhyaman confirmed that the four soldiers had been
moonlighting as private security guards for Gunawan Santoso,
Boedyharto's former son-in-law. They are also believed to have
been implicated in the murders.

Gunawan has been hunted by the police since his escape from
Kuningan Penitentiary in Cirebon, West Java, on Jan. 15. Now, he
is also wanted for questioning, as witnesses have claimed that he
might be involved with Boedyharto's killing.

"The Navy leaders have ordered us to take stern sanctions
against the four soldiers, if they are found guilty. The
sanctions could include discharging them from the military,"
Adhyaman said.

"They will probably be charged with committing premeditated
murder. However, we must wait for further investigation," he
said.

He also emphasized that "the Navy investigators have yet to
declare the four soldiers suspects."

The four soldiers could face a maximum sentence of 20 years
imprisonment. They will be tried in a military court.

Boedyharto, 60, and Edy were gunned down by an unidentified
man in the parking lot of Sasana Krida sport stadium in North
Jakarta on July 20.

They were about to play basketball when a man approached them
and started to shoot at Edy before shooting Boedyharto.

Boedyharto suffered six shots to the head and body while Edy
was shot once in the head. Police found eight spent cartridge
cases at the scene.

Boedyharto's driver Darjan, who witnessed the shooting,
survived the incident as he remained inside the bulletproof
Mercedes-Benz S600 car.

The shooting took place only a month after Asaba's finance
director Paulus Tejakusuma was shot in Jl. Angkasa, Kemayoran,
Central Jakarta. He was severely injured and is reportedly
undergoing medical treatment overseas.

Days after the murder, the National Military Police Commander
Maj. Gen. Sulaiman A.B. formed an investigation team comprising
of Jakarta Military Police officers and police personnel after
learning that the killer used a military standard weapon, either
a gun or a rifle, with caliber 9mm.

A source from Boedyharto's family said that the motive behind
the murder could be linked to a family feud.

However, Adhyaman said that so far, "the soldiers have yet to
inform us who instructed the execution of the murders or what the
motive behind them was."