Security officer arrested for murder

Security officer arrested for murder

JAKARTA (JP): Ciracas detectives in East Jakarta have arrested a security officer for allegedly killing a truck driver, who was found dead with three stab wounds to his stomach and back in front of a rice stall in the area on Friday.

Jakarta Police Spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna said yesterday that Jumari, 43, was caught less than three hours after the local police were informed about the death of Suwandi, 35.

"After a series of interrogations, the suspect then confessed to having killed the victim with whom he was involved in a fight one year ago," said Iman.

The fight took place following a heated argument between the suspect and the victim's brother, Suryadi, he said, without giving details of the cause of the dispute.

Suryadi told interrogators that he had been looking for the victim for a long time.

"It's now clear that the motive was a grudge," spokesman Iman said.

Actually, Iman said, they had settled the dispute and hoped there would be no further problems between them.

After hunting down Suwandi for over a year, the security officer found him at around 4 p.m. Friday, drinking alcohol with four friends at a street stall on Jl. Raya Bogor.

The suspect then went home to get his switchblade.

By the time Jumari returned to the drinking stall three hours later, Suwandi, who was drunk, was asleep on a bench next to the stall, Iman said.

Jumari then took his knife and allegedly stabbed Suwandi twice in the stomach, causing him to fall from the bench. He then stabbed Suwandi in the back before leaving the scene.

The security officer of a private firm was apprehended at around 10 p.m. following tips from a number of eyewitnesses, Iman said. (bsr)