Medan shaman ready for death penalty

Medan shaman ready for death penalty

MEDAN (JP): The notorious shaman who claimed to have killed 42
women told reporters yesterday he was ready for the death
penalty.

Achmad Suradji, known as Datuk, showed no remorse when the
head of Medan Police information office Lt. Col. Amrin Karim
allowed reporters to interview him in the detention room at the
police headquarters.

After lighting a clove cigarette, the shaman explained why he
had killed the women. "I just wanted to improve my ability in
healing. That's all."

The 45-year-old man said he usually prepared a hole for his
"prospective victims", describing how he "finished" them off.

"Yes, I've killed 42, while the target is 70," he said calmly,
adding he did not rape any of the victims.

Datuk, who has three wives, said his first wife had
accompanied him during the killing of the women. His three wives
are sisters.

When asked if he was drunk when murdering the women and if he
regretted his actions, he said: "No, I was not a drunkard. I
drank sometimes. But I think I was not really aware of doing that
and after there was a kind of regression."

Police were alerted to the deadly shaman when a local resident
of Deli Serdang reported that his daughter disappeared after
going to the shaman's house for treatment.

Police have found 11 skeletons, not 20 as earlier reported, of
women believed to be killed by Datuk, the father of four
children. Yesterday five other skeletons were found on the site.

Lt. Col. Amrin Karim said police have confiscated 19 wrist
watches, several pairs of shoes, women's clothes, purses,
handbags and jewelry believed to belong to his victims. (21/sur)