Sergeant gives up for shooting

JAKARTA (JP): A serviceman, who allegedly shot to death a public bus crew during a clash on Saturday, has given himself up to the City Military Police for further investigation, an officer said.

Strictly hiding the identities and the serviceman's unit, Jakarta Military Police Commander Col. Hendardji only identified the suspect as First Sgt. D. S.

"First Sgt. D. S. gave himself up to this command on Sunday, saying that he was ready to face the military legal process," Hendardji told the media on Monday.

The suspect, who is now detained inside a cell at the command's headquarters in Guntur, South Jakarta.

Hendardji strongly believed that the serviceman did not really mean to aim his gun at the victim, who was later identified as Koantas Bima minibus conductor Idris Sembiring.

"DS was pushed by the crowd when he aimed a warning shot to the air," Hendardji explained, saying that the fatal shooting was merely an accident.

The sergeant, who happened to pass on the site when the clash between two groups of public drivers occurred, stopped his vehicle and tried to disperse the angry crowd.

The Saturday's clash involved dozens of drivers and co-drivers from Koantas Bima minibus route number 509 and Bianglala public bus, both plying Pulogadung-Ciputat routes.

Both groups were reportedly competing over passengers.

On that day, some 60 bus crew of Bianglala blocked a passing Koantas Bima bus and mobbed its co-driver at a bus shelter in Cilandak.

The incident immediately spread to other Koantas Bima personnel, who was angered on the news.

Hours later, dozens of Koantas Bima crew rushed to the site from their station in Lebak Bulus for a revenge at which conductor Idris Sembiring was shot. (emf)