Motive in train killing still a mystery

Motive in train killing still a mystery

JAKARTA (JP): Police and officials of state railway firm PT
Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) are still puzzled over Friday's murder
of a female passenger on an express Parahyangan train, saying
that more information was needed to solve the case.

Chief of Bekasi Police Lt. Col. Sutarman told The Jakarta Post
on Sunday that his men had yet to draw any conclusions from the
murder case and were waiting for a key witness to recover from
his wounds.

Febriana Farida, 22, was stabbed to death on the train (not at
Lemah Abang railway station as reported earlier). Her boyfriend,
Christianus Budi, 29, suffered serious wounds. The couple was to
be married next month.

The case has become difficult to solve since the attacker,
Liman, 28, was beaten to death by angry residents living near the
station after the suspect tried to escape.

Liman was caught with a blood-smeared knife still in his hand
by the train crew after female passengers siting near the victims
screamed for help.

At the Lemah Abang station, the train -- heading to Bandung
from Jakarta -- stopped to let the crew hand Liman over to local
officials for further questioning.

According to media reports, a police officer fired his gun in
the air in an effort to push back the large crowd of people who
wanted to catch a glimpse of the suspected killer. It was then
that he attempted to flee.

"Christianus is the key witness since both Febriana and Liman
are dead. But we must wait before we can talk to him," he said
over the phone.

"We have tried to question him but his condition prevented us
from learning much," he added.

Christianus is being treated at Cipto Mangunkusumo General
Hospital in Central Jakarta for his wounds.

Sutarman admitted there were several speculations on the case
and said the police would stick to facts based on available
evidence.

The Parahyangan train left from Gambir railway station at 5:30
a.m. and made a brief stop at Jatinegara railway station, East
Jakarta to carry passengers.

88 passengers rode in two executive cars, 292 passengers in
four business cars and there was 107 standing passengers.

Head of PT KAI for Jakarta operational area, Whosep Muktamar,
told the Post by phone on Sunday evening that the couple sat one
seat behind the suspect.

Based on witness testimony the cause of the killing was
unlikely that of robbery.

"We don't know yet what the motive was, whether criminal or
personal," he said.

"We have provided the police with passengers able to identify
those who were sitting near both victims to help solve the case,"
he added.

"A female witness claimed that Liman was very nervous after
the train left Gambir," said Whosep.

She said Liman reversed the direction of his seat so that it
faced her, allowing him to see look at Febriana. Febriana was
sitting behind the woman.

"It was as if he was trying to intimidate Febriana by sitting
in this position. When I asked him to return his seat to its
proper position after leaving Jatinegara station, the suspect
went over to Febriana and stabbed her," Whosep quoted the witness
as saying.

"It's quite odd because Febriana sat by the window and not on
the aisle. It might have been intentional. I don't know for
sure," he speculated.

Whosep also revealed an interesting fact that both Febriana
and her boyfriend separately booked two tickets on April 14 for
their tragic journey.

"Febriana reserved two tickets at 7:51 a.m. while Christianus
reserved another two tickets at 6:03 p.m. on the same day for the
same trip," he said.

"It's quite strange to me, why would they make two separate
reservations? The police will check the authenticity of the hand
writing on the reservation forms," he added, while saying Liman
sat on one of seats reserved by the victims.

Whosep also dismissed media reports saying there were
accomplices in the case.

"On duty officials only caught Liman. They have also secured a
knife sheath, an identity card (KTP), four business cards, a
Husada hospital visiting card, and a television receipt," he
said.

The officials were conductor Suhartono, waiter E. Wisik and
Sgt. Maj. Asep Mamat of Police's Mobile Brigade.

It was reported that Liman tried to jump overboard after
stabbing both victims, but then hesitated.

"He dumped the knife instead. At this moment, Wisik was able
to neutralize him. The suspect admitted to Mamat, who showed up
later, that the victim was his wife," Whosep said. (nvn)