Suspect admits to strangling girl for jewelry

Suspect admits to strangling girl for jewelry

Marni Masim, 36 -- the sole suspect in the murder of an
elementary schoolgirl, Nita, 8, in Bogor regency -- admitted that
she had strangled the girl purely to steal her jewelry.

Marni, a snack vendor at Nita's school, told police
investigators on Wednesday that she had panicked when Nita
threatened to tell her father of Marni's wrongdoing.

She grabbed Nita's gold necklace and earrings after the girl
bought some snacks at her stall on Monday and then wrung the neck
of the student of state SD 02 elementary school in Cisarua
district, Bogor.

Having discovered that Nita was dead, Marni later tied her
victim's hands and legs, put the body into a double-layered
plastic bag, bound it with cables and placed it in a cardboard
box.

Nita's body, still in her school uniform, was found in a
neighboring village on Tuesday.

Bogor Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. M. Taufik declined to
comment on the crime.

Marni is charged with theft with violence under article 365
and with causing the death of a person under article 359 of the
Criminal Code. She could face a maximum sentence of 15 years in
jail if convicted.