Officer shot in heated argument

JAKARTA (JP): A city traffic police officer was shot to death in the chest and stomach by a soldier in a heated argument on Jl. Boulevard in Kelapa Gading subdistrict, North Jakarta, on Sunday evening, a city police spokesman said.

Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said on Monday evening that the dead police officer, identified as First Sgt. Fikri Zakaria, 25, was shot three times before he died.

"Fikri was shot by a soldier, who is currently being questioned at the National Military Police Headquarters (Puspom TNI). That's all. I am not at liberty to say anything more," Zainuri said.

He also refused to say whether the soldier had surrendered himself to the police, or was arrested.

A source at the North Jakarta Police identified the shooter as an adjutant of Military Police chief Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin.

"His name is Ketut Agung or something like that. He's Balinese. Fikri apprehended Agung in one of the houses at the Pulomas housing complex in East Jakarta on New Year's Eve, with possession of shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine)," the source said.

"Fikri tried blackmailing Agung, so that he would not be turned in to the Military Police. Agung went up to Fikri in the Seribu Satu Malam restaurant on Jl. Boulevard, on Sunday evening. Both apparently were engaged in a verbal confrontation. Then, Agung pulled Fikri out and shot him three times."

Zainuri added that while Fikri was being shot, two bystanders in the area suffered injuries from ricocheting bullets.

"One was Widodo, who works as a parking attendant at night and a newspaper seller during the day. Another was Arief, Widodo's friend, who was wounded when a bullet pierced his scalp."

"I just don't understand why must guns be used in these matters," said Zainuri. (ylt/01)