Military police take over murder case

JAKARTA (JP): The man suspected of murdering and mutilating his own girlfriend, Air Force First Sgt. Uki Wardana, 24, was transferred to Jakarta Military Police Headquarters on Tuesday night, an official said yesterday.

The case is now being handled by the military police, East Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Syahrir Kuba told The Jakarta Post.

Police have handed over the dossier on the case and will shortly submit all the material evidence so far collected to the military, he added.

Uki will be charged with premeditated murder under Article 340 of the Criminal Code which carries a minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum penalty of death.

In cooperation with the military police, East Jakarta police detectives have thoroughly examined Uki's background.

"We have checked and confirmed that he is an active member of the Air Force and that he was stationed at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base," Syahrir said.

Preliminary investigations have lead police to believe that Uki was the sole participant in the murder. The suspect admitted to killing Rahayu Chaeranti, alias Butet, 29, during interrogation, said.

"He claimed he cut up Rahayu's body (with a machete) to obliterate her identity, but he panicked because he did not know where to dispose of her head, feet and hands."

Syahrir also reiterated that it was not necessary to conduct psychiatric tests on the suspect.

"He is not insane. He was fully aware of what he was doing. The way he talked and explained things were very natural and logical, so I do not think it is necessary to conduct such a test," he said.

Uki admitted to the police that he had been planning to kill his girlfriend since July 21 because of her persistent requests for them to get married.

The suspect also said that he had sex with the victim before killing her.

Police so far have seized a walkie-talkie which the suspect and his girlfriend used to communicate, the machete used in the killing, and the Vespa motorbike used to dump the body in East Jakarta on Saturday morning. (edt)