Police arrest second suspect in murder case

Police arrest second suspect in murder case

JAKARTA (JP): The West Jakarta police have arrested another
suspect charged with killing and robbing his gay partner, a
former official of the attorney general's office.

Machfudin, alias Ferry, 22, who was hunted by police for more
than 40 days, was arrested in the early hours of Sunday in a
barbershop at Cikarang market in Bekasi, 35 kilometers west of
here.

"He went under the name of Yuni," City Police spokesman Lt.
Col. Iman Haryatna told reporters yesterday.

Ferry was charged with plotting the murder and robbery of
Asnawi Naim, 50, a former prosecutor, at home in Gang Idris,
Sukabumi Utara district in West Jakarta on Jan. 12.

The body of Asnawi, bearing two stab wounds in the neck, was
already decomposing when it was found three days later.

Ferry was accompanied by his friend, Ferry Aryanto, alias Ari,
19, a high school drop-out, who was arrested two weeks after the
crime.

Ari, also gay, was apprehended by city police elite mobile
regiment officers at Moonlite Discotheque on Jl. Gadjah Mada in
Glodok, West Jakarta.

According to Ferry, the deceased had treated him badly.

"He treated me like a servant," Ferry told reporters. "In the
beginning he said he loved me, promised me all kinds of things...
but he always failed to fulfil his promises."

West Jakarta police head Lt. Col. Hari Pribadi said the
arrest of Ferry would enable the police to immediately complete
the dossiers on the two suspects before they stand trial.

"Everything has been matched up now and I hope that we can
hand over complete dossiers to the prosecutors office," Hari
said.

In preliminary investigations, Ferry and Ari admitted to
committing the crime during sex with the prosecutor.

In the middle of sex, Ferry produced a knife, put it under the
blanket and then stabbed the victim twice in the neck, police
said.

Ari then hit the old man over the head with a stone pestle,
tied up his legs and covered the victim's head with a blanket,
police said.

The corpse was found only three days later after neighbors
noticed an offensive smell coming from the house.

The son of the landlord opened the house and found Asnawi
lying on his bed wearing pajamas with his legs tied and head
covered.

Police sources said that the Asnawi's official residence is in
Bogor where he lived with his wife and children.

After committing the crime, the two suspects left the scene
hastily after taking a sum of money and other valuables belonging
to the victim.

The loot, including some gold rings and a wristwatch, was
worth around Rp 700,000, police said. (bsr)