Police suspect couple killed out of revenge

Police suspect couple killed out of revenge

JAKARTA (JP): A Singaporean national and his Indonesian wife
were killed on Sunday morning in a vicious attack at their home
in Rambut village, Pasir Gunung Selatan subdistrict, Cimanggis,
Depok, south of here.

Police identified the couple as Hardi bin Aman, 39, and his
wife, Elis bin Ulan, 26.

"One of Hardi's hands was cut off, while his back was torn
open. His wife suffered almost the same wounds, but they were
much more severe. Her lips were torn and the left part of her
back was almost split open," Depok Police chief Lt. Col. Bambang
Widaryatmo said several hours after the attack.

Police have questioned several witnesses but are still in the
dark about the motives of the killer or killers.

Judging from the scene of crime, local officers are pursuing a
vengeance motive for the brutal murder.

Bambang said his men were searching for murder clues.

"Nothing was missing from the house, which makes this murder
look like revenge. Two outlets on the victims' roof were left
open. We suspect the killers entered from there, and probably
left from a back door," Bambang said.

He said Hardi had managed to propel himself to the front door
of his house to scream for help.

It is unknown whether the Singaporean was able to reveal any
details about his assailants to neighbors who rushed him to the
nearby Tugu hospital.

Hardi died shortly after reaching the hospital.

A day earlier in Bekasi, east of Jakarta, a construction
worker was killed at 10 a.m., allegedly by a colleague in
Pedurenan village in the Bantar Gebang area.

The victim, identified as 26-year-old Andi bin Sanusi, died
after sustaining severe slash wounds to the neck.

The suspect, Tuan bin Ahmad, 31, who was employed on the same
warehouse construction site in Bantar Gebang, has been questioned
by local police.

Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said the
incident took place after Tuan, who had repeatedly warned the
victim to stop stealing steel bars from the construction site,
became angry with his work colleague.

"He felt that after several warnings, Andi was still taking
the steel bars without reporting it to the construction site
manager," said Zainuri, whose office also supervises the Bekasi
area.

"When Tuan confronted Andi about the matter, both of them
became involved in a clash. Tuan used a machete to slash Andi's
neck. The other workers who witnessed the fight ran to help Andi
to the Bekasi hospital. But it was too late." (ylt)