Police search for taxi driver killers

JAKARTA (JP): North Jakarta police detectives were still searching four murder suspects, who viciously stabbed an unidentified taxi driver to death, before fleeing and leaving the driver in the taxi, near the Penjaringan tollgate, on Sunday night, an officer said.

Chief of North Jakarta Police detectives Maj. Eko said on Monday that a witness saw four people running away from the taxi, after the incident happened.

"The witness, Agus Suwandi, ran to see what had happened in the taxi, and found the body of the driver," Eko said.

"The man had suffered stab wounds to his neck, chest and stomach. The incident happened at about 10:15 p.m."

Eko said that police were still investigating the motive of the murder.

Separately, a suspect of a theft was mobbed to death, while his friend, another theft suspect, sustained heavy injuries in the attack on Jl. Cipinang Muara III, East Jakarta, at 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, city police spokesperson Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said.

Zainuri identified the dead man as 19-year-old Endang, while the suspect who was heavily injured was 18-year-old Icang.

"Endang, Icang and an accomplice had tried to rob 22-year-old Suryaman who was in a minivan, but Suryawan was smart. He screamed for help.

"While one suspect got away, residents in the area beat Endang to death. Icang suffered major injuries," Zainuri told reporters. (ylt)