Police identify suspects in toll road robbery

Police identify suspects in toll road robbery

JAKARTA (JP): Bogor police investigations into the fatal
robbery on the Jagorawi toll road last Friday indicate that the
victim's passengers and soldiers may have been involved in the
crime.

Zaenuddin Lesmana, a 42-year-old private company employee,
died after being shot during the robbery. However, Norman Lubis
and Cece Tajudin who were passengers in Zaenuddin's car escaped
uninjured.

Bogor police sources told Antara yesterday that preliminary
investigation and the fact that the two passengers were uninjured
indicated they may have been involved in the crime.

Zaenuddin, Nurman and Cece were returning from the Bogor BRI
bank after withdrawing Rp 230 million (US$98,797) when a Kijang
van intercepted Zaenuddin's car on the Jagorawi highway in
Cibinong, police said.

Three men got out of the van and one smashed the rear shield
of Zaenuddin's Hyundai Elantra sedan before firing shots which
killed Zaenuddin.

Nurman and Cece told police they were not aware that the
passengers of the Kijang van were robbers until one of them
pointed a gun and ordered Zaenuddin to stop.

"It was very strange that the bullets hit Zaenuddin, who was
driving, but missed the two on the back seat," a police officer
said.

"The robbers then opened the trunk and stole one bag
containing Rp 150 million and another bag containing land
documents. A third bag, containing Rp 80 million, was left in the
trunk," Nurman and Cece told police in preliminary questioning.

The robbers allegedly escaped through the Cibinong toll gate,
not far from the crime scene. The Kijang van used in the robbery
was abandoned in Cimanggis, Bogor.

The 42-year-old victim, the husband of a local TV star, was
treasurer of his uncle's land appropriation business. He
regularly withdrew money from the bank and Nurman and Cece had
accompanied him three times on trips to the bank, police said.

According to Berita Yudha morning daily yesterday police found
shells from an FN 45 gun at the crime scene and believed the
suspects must be members of the Armed Forces.

The daily said that Nurman admitted to knowing the man who
shot Zaenuddin, an Army sergeant identified only as S. The two
other attackers were also believed to be members of the Armed
Forces.

Bogor police are coordinating with the military police office
to arrest the three other suspects, reports said. (sur)