Officer kills ex-wife, judge in courtroom

Antara News Agency/Surabaya

Enraged after losing a court case, a high-ranking Navy officer stabbed to death both his former wife and a judge on Wednesday in Sidoarjo, East Java.

The officer's ex-wife, Eka Suhartini, died shortly after being admitted to hospital, while judge Taufik died in the courtroom.

The panel of judges at Sidoarjo religious court had ruled in favor of Eka in a civil suit filed by her former husband, Col. Mohammad Irvan Jumroni, 51.

In the case, the officer, Jumroni, had demanded ownership of a house in Waru area, Sidoarjo.

Upon hearing the verdict in his wife's favor, Jumroni stabbed Eka in the back three times with a standard military knife. He then chased after judge Taufik and stabbed him in the heart. The two other judges on the panel escaped the killer.

When the people gathered at the court comprehended what had happened they swarmed around Jumroni, hitting and kicking him.

The officer will be brought before a military court in Surabaya.

Contacted separately, court clerk Muhidin said the judges had awarded the house to Eka as it had been inherited from her parents while Jumroni had merely renovated it.