Soldier implicated in brutal killing

Soldier implicated in brutal killing

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

One of the four suspects in the killing of Barkah Hanim, the wife
of a National Intelligence Agency (BIN) director, was identified
as an Army soldier, investigators said on Wednesday.

City police said that the Army soldier, identified as Private
First Class Leo Hasibuan from the North Sumatra Military
Headquarters in Medan, had been taken to the Military Police
office in South Jakarta.

One of police detectives guarding Leo said that the suspect
had to be handed over to Military Police as he was still in
active service.

"We handed him over to the Military Police as he is in active
service. Together with him, we handed over all relevant evidence.
All legal proceedings will be handled by the Military Police from
today onward," he said.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said Leo was hired by
the other three suspects to kill Barkah Hanim, 41, the wife of
Abdurrahman Pellu, the newly installed BIN operational director.

"They promised to give Leo a motorcycle and a car if he helped
them kill Barkah. Bono owed Barkah Rp 500 million while others
reportedly owed her over a billion. We do not have detailed
information on this yet," Tjiptono said.

Barkah, a resident of Jatikramat, Bekasi, and her driver,
Rachmat bin Rohat, were found dead with multiple stab wounds in a
pick up truck parked on Jl. Kampung Setu in Bintara Jaya, Bekasi,
early Sunday.

The bodies were found by an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver, in
the front seat of the truck that Barkah used to deliver furniture
to and from her shop.

Barkah had been stabbed twice in the neck. Bruising on her
face and back indicated that she had also been hit by a blunt
object.

Rachmat, a resident of Karang Tembung in Cirebon, West Java,
was stabbed 11 times in the chest and three times in the back, as
well as being hit by a blunt object on the back of the head, and
on the forehead.

Police subsequently apprehended Bono, a resident of Kebon
Sawit in East Jakarta on Monday night, and later arrested a woman
identified as Ida in Cibinong, West Java, Adnan in Depok, West
Java, and Leo in Cakung.

After interrogating the suspects, it was revealed that the
suspects killed Barkah because they were angry at the abusive
language the victim used when collecting payments from them.

They also said that they had to kill Rachmat as he had
witnessed the murder.

Police said Barkah and Rachmat were killed in Bono's house in
Kebon Sawit before the victims were brought to Kampung Setu.

"We have questioned at least 10 witnesses in the case. We are
now gathering evidence to complete the dossiers. We have found
the knives and other equipment they used in the murder," said
Tjiptono.

He said that the suspects would be charged under Article 340
of Criminal Code for premeditated murder which carries a maximum
punishment of death.