Seven people questioned over Sunday's gang murders

JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta Police detectives on Tuesday continued the investigation into the murder of a Police mobile brigade (Brimob) private and a civilian early on Sunday morning.

Central Jakarta Police chief of detectives Capt. Hendra Suhartiyono said Police were questioning seven people, including the two sons of a youth organization chairman, as witnesses.

"The multiple stab wounds on the private's body indicate that there was probably more than one stabber," Hendra told The Jakarta Post.

"We are going to find out who did this... we will question everyone who needs to be questioned, regardless of who they are."

First Pvt. Abraham Mau, 23, and civilian Belly Sihombing, 25, died in a gang fight on Sunday morning at the B.C. (Broadcast) Cafe in the Sarinah building on Jl. Thamrin, Central Jakarta.

Jakarta Police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis said the Police would keep details of the investigation confidential since it concerned the death of a member of the force and allegedly involved R.M. Sahid Abishalom BN, alias Abi, 25, the son of the chairman of the Pemuda Pancasila youth organization, Yapto Soerjosoemarno.

Hendra identified the seven witnesses, as Abi, Abi's brother Yedidiah S.K. Soerjosoemarno, Abi's girlfriend Indriyatri Leimeda, who was with Abi at the cafe and during the incident, Abi's friends Panji Arisoma, Fachmi, Reno and Syafiq.

"Again, these seven are still witnesses. The witnesses should not worry that this crime might harm their reputations, since so far, all of them are clean," Hendra said.

"They are here to give the police, their versions of what they saw, or what they were doing during the incident. That's all."

Hendra said he had questioned all the people belonging to one group, namely that of Andi, the BC Cafe security guard and a friend of Abi's, but was still waiting for the right time to question members of the other group, in which Belly and Abraham belonged.

"This is the Flores group. They are still mourning over the deaths of their friends. I have sent one unit to their area in Kampung Melayu to observe what they are doing... we'll wait till they can be questioned," Hendra said.

He said the incident at the cafe was a clear show of arrogance between two social groups.

"The show of one (group) coming into the den of another... getting up on the bar and screaming. The guys knew what they were doing, where they had entered. Still they did it... The murders were committed in cold blood, in open public," Hendra said.

"That's arrogance at its worst."

As reported earlier, an eyewitness who requested anonymity said that about six men had stormed into the cafe at about 1 a.m. on Sunday and cut the music.

"Calling themselves aparat (police officers), one of them got on top of the bar and started calling out for Abi, while holding a badik (machete). He said he was someone from David's group, and had come to settle a score with Abi."

The eyewitness said Abi smiled when he heard his name called, but did not identify himself.

Abi's friends, identifying themselves as belonging to Andi's group, eventually faced off against the six men and a brawl began. The eyewitness said Abi sat during the fight.

While Abraham and Belly were stabbed continuously, their four friends managed to escape.

Abraham died at the scene, but bystanders managed to rush Belly to Cikini Hospital in Central Jakarta, where he later died. (ylt)