Suspected serial killer faces trial

BOGOR: The Bogor District Court opened a trial on Wednesday of a suspected serial killer of 10 public minivan drivers. Defendant Yayah Sudrajat, 25, was charged with Article 365(4) and Article 64(1) of the Criminal Code, which carry a maximum sentence of nine years' imprisonment.

Prosecutor Rekim Sidabutar read out the indictment, stating that the defendant had committed the crimes with the help of accomplices Riki, Rahmat, Rusli and Iwan, alias Kiwong, who are all still at large. The mastermind of the crime, Pendi Supendi, had been shot and killed by Bogor Police.

Yayah was arrested on Dec. 19, 2003 in Dermaga, Bogor.

The defendant and his accomplices allegedly pretended to rent public minivans, saying that they were going to a gathering, and once they reached their "destination", they killed the driver by strangling him with a plastic rope or belt. Later, they dumped the body at an abandoned plot of land.

They then sold the minivans for around Rp 6 million (US$698) and divided the money between them.

Yayah confessed that the group had been operating since mid- 2002. They killed four drivers and sold four public minivans in 2002 and committed six similar crimes in 2003. They usually operated in Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, Sukabumi and Cianjur.

Presiding judge Saripudin adjourned the trial until next week to hear more witnesses. -- JP