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)