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.