Police say witnesses know killers of Asaba president
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police said on Monday that the testimony of two witnesses would identify the killers of a businessman and his bodyguard at the Sasana Krida sports stadium in North Jakarta on July 19.
"We are investigating the key witnesses intensively as their testimonies will reveal the killer's identity," said City Police Detective chief Sr. Comr. Andi Chaeruddin.
Earlier, reports suggested that at least two men had shot the president director of PT Asaba, Boedyharto Angsono, and his bodyguard First Sgt. Edy Siyet, a member of the anti-terror squad of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus).
One of the men shot the victims while the other waited for him on a motorcycle. Boedyharto suffered six shot wounds to the head and body and Edy one to the head. Police found eight projectiles at the scene.
National Military Police commander Maj. Gen. Sulaiman A.B. said last week that the killers used a military standard gun of caliber 9 mm.
The two-star general believed that the killer was a well trained sharp shooter as he had easily paralyzed Edy, despite the fact that Edy was a member of the elite Kopassus' anti terrorist squad.
The doctor who conducted the autopsies concluded that the shooter had been standing very close to both the victims because gunshot residue was found in the wounds and most of the bullets had penetrated the bodies.
Separately, City Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara said on Monday that the police were investigating with good results.
"The progress is significant. But I'm afraid we can't unveil the information to you right now. Wait until we fully untangle the case," Makbul told reporters.
A source from the North Jakarta Police Precinct said that the two witnesses were from Ciracas area, East Jakarta.
Police revealed over the weekend that a key witness claimed that Gunawan Santoso -- a fugitive wanted by police -- was linked to the shootings.
The witness told police investigators that prior to the shooting -- when they shared a cell at the Kuningan Penitentiary in Cirebon, West Java -- Gunawan had asked him how he could get firearms.
Gunawan is the former son-in-law of Boedyharto. He had served almost two years of his two year and seven month prison sentence. He was convicted for the embezzlement of Rp 25 billion from Boedyharto's companies.
The shooting came almost two months after Asaba's finance director Paulus Tejakusuma was shot on Jl. Angkasa in Central Jakarta. He survived but suffered severe injuries.
Police also want to question Gunawan over the previous shooting.
A senior police detective, who is in charge of the search for Gunawan, claims that Gunawan is still in the capital.
The detective said that they had received information that Gunawan was ready to surrender last Thursday, but he had failed to turn himself in.