Prostitute killed after argument

JAKARTA (JP): A man arrested for the brutal murder of a prostitute, who was stabbed 40 times last Friday, told police detectives he murdered the victim because she argued with him over her fee.

Detectives arrested Muhammad Sodik, 41, at his home in Pesayangan Pamayu village, West Java, on Wednesday. He told the officers that he was very stressed last Friday night and was considering divorcing his wife because of marital problems, when he met the victim, Zubaedah, 25, a prostitute.

"They set the fee at Rp 25,000 for each time she could make him reach orgasm. Sodik then booked a hotel room ... ," Central Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Mathius Salempang said on Thursday.

"Zubaedah made Sodik reach orgasm twice, but Sodik only paid her Rp 25,000. Zubaedah demanded that he pay her twice that amount. When he didn't, they began to argue. Sodik, who had initially been very stressed and was feeling very guilty for sleeping with another woman, stabbed Zubaedah repeatedly until she died," the officer said. (04/ylt)