One arrested, two queried over Green Garden killing

JAKARTA (JP): A 27-year-old man has been arrested by West Jakarta police for allegedly killing a man believed to be a foreigner at the Green Garden housing complex in the Kedoya Utara subdistrict of Kebon Jeruk.

The suspect, identified only as Acung, was arrested by detectives a few hours after police were informed about the killing, West Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Andi Chaeruddin said yesterday.

"Two other people, including a woman, who were found at the house when our detectives arrived, are now under intensive interrogation," Chaeruddin said.

"We have already reached a preliminary conclusion about the motive, but it's not the right time to reveal it to the press, as everything is still under investigation," said the officer.

"We need to find out why the suspect and the two witnesses failed to call the police immediately after the killing," Chaeruddin said.

Based on a preliminary investigation, the killing is believed to have occurred at around 8 p.m. on Monday, but was only reported to the Kebon Jeruk police station four hours later, Chaeruddin said.

The victim -- identified as Ah Hwa, 24 -- was allegedly slashed in the throat with a Japanese samurai sword by the suspect.

His body and the sword were found inside the house.

Reliable police sources said that the victim was a holder of a Hong Kong passport.

The source, who requested anonymity, said that the slaying has a business motive and was plotted and committed by more than one person.

When asked for confirmation, Chaeruddin refused to explain, saying that the police are still investigating his background, including his business here.

Police investigators, he said, have faced some difficulties in questioning the three people, including the suspect, who claimed he was unable to speak Bahasa Indonesia.

"The suspect continued to keep silent while the other two gave different statements," he said.

In the beginning of questioning, for instance, the two claimed they were a married couple. "But later, they said they were not," explained the officer.

"Today, we learned that all of them, including the victim, have no family relationship," said Chaeruddin. (bsr)