Soldier vs general over traffic dispute

Soldier vs general over traffic dispute

BOGOR (JP): A low-ranking soldier threatened to shoot and
amputate the legs of a retired two-star general and his son over
a traffic dispute here on Friday evening.

Second Private Nikson Lumban Toruan of the Army's Strategic
Reserves Command (Kostrad) 1st Division threatened Maj. Gen.
(ret) Durmawel Achmad and son, named Fica, 20, accusing the
general's car of blocking his Yamaha RX King motorcycle.

Durmawel was a military prosecutor at the special martial
court from 1966 until 1967 and was a former director of Bank
Indonesia (Central Bank).

"We don't know any reason for the incident. Nikson stopped his
motorcycle suddenly in front of our car," Fica, who drove the
Suzuki Escudo, told the police.

He said Nikson had threatened to shoot them if the car didn't
give way to the motorcycle.

"He even threatened to amputate our legs," he said.

Aware of the incident, local residents crowded the car
thinking an armed robbery was taking place.

The crowds attracted the attention of a team of Bogor police
detectives, led by its chief Capt. Umar Sumardi, who was enroute
to a crime scene.

Umar stepped from his car right away and searched Nikson after
hearing witness reports. Police found an FN gun with seven .45
caliber bullets.

Nikson was then taken to the Bogor Police precinct for further
questioning. Three military policemen then took him to the Bogor
Military Police headquarters.

Bogor Regional Police chief Col. Edi Darnadi said later that
the case could be resolved out of court.

"But, we will prosecute Nikson's possession of the bullets,
the gun and the motorcycle, which were without required
documents," he told reporters. (21/nvn)