Serviceman beaten by traders

Serviceman beaten by traders

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: An Army officer, identified as
Second Pvt. Anas Saeri, was beaten by angry traders here on
Friday for extortion.

Traders at the Pasar Wage traditional market said they had
frequently been forced to pay levies to the serviceman, who is
being detained at the local military police office,

"I was afraid; I offered him Rp 30,000 but he refused. I
offered an additional Rp 5,000 but still he did not want to take
it," a trader, Subagyo, told military police officers.

A heated argument between Saeri and his fellow traders was
unavoidable, according to Subagyo, until the upset traders
shouted "thief" at Saeri. Passersby and the traders chased the
military man and beat him.

Deputy chief of Purwokerto military police Maj. Kirdi
confirmed the arrest of Saeni. "We were unaware that he was an
Army member until we questioned him over the incident." (45/sur)