'Ojek' driver found murdered

JAKARTA (JP): A 20-year-old ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver was found dead with severe stab wounds and bruises on his body at a vacant lot in the back of the Taman Boulevard housing complex in Bekasi early yesterday.

Local police believe that Mashuri bin Muhammad Haris of Kampung Dukuh Jaya, Pejuangan district, was robbed and killed by a group of men.

The victim's new motorcycle was also found to be missing.

Capt. Arief Sulistyanto of the Bekasi Police suspected the victim was attacked at a different location before his body was dumped behind the complex.

Local residents living near the vacant lot reportedly heard nothing suspicious the whole night.

"Mashuri's body was found by local residents at about 4 a.m. when people started to eat their saur (the Ramadhan predawn meal)," said Arief.

But Arief said the investigation had yet to be completed and that police had not made any conclusions regarding the motive behind the killing.

"Saying that the attackers had killed the victim just for a motorcycle is just a simple conclusion," he said, adding that business competition or a personal dispute could have also been a possible motive.

The victim's father, Haris, 40, said he was surprised to hear from his friends that his oldest son had been killed.

"He was not the kind of man who tried to create problems with other people. He was just a young man who forced himself to help his parents earn some money and pay for all three of his brothers' and sister's education," Haris recalled.

According to Haris, his son also planned to marry his girlfriend next month. (04)