Teenager nabbed for robbing, killing Tebet teacher

JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta police detectives have arrested one of two men accused of killing and robbing a 42-year-old teacher in Tebet, South Jakarta.

The head of the Jakarta Police detective unit, Col. Gories Mere told the media on Monday that Muhammad Habib, 19, was nabbed on Saturday evening at an Islamic boarding school on Jl. Wadas Raya in Depok, south of here.

During preliminary investigations, Habib claimed he was asked by Agus Budiman Said, 23, to steal a Kijang minivan from the house of the latter's relative in the quiet Bank Indonesia housing complex in Tebet.

"Habib said that Agus, who is still at large, badly needed Rp 2 million (US$256) in cash for his wedding ceremony," Gories said, adding that Agus was a distant cousin of the victim's husband.

Last Tuesday morning, the two put the plan into action with duplicate keys prepared by Agus.

But inside the house, they were spotted by Ratna Suryati, 42, an elementary school teacher, the officer said.

When she attempted to stop them, the two attackers turned violent and attacked the woman with sharp weapons, Gories said.

The mother of six was found dead with multiple stab wounds in her body and her throat slashed at 9:30 p.m. the same day.

Her body was found by her fifth child, Mudi Yuliani, 11, lying on the blood-stained floor of the living room.

According to Gories, the police were finally able to locate the suspects' hiding place after they found the stolen vehicle, which had been sold on.

After the killing, the two sold the Kijang for Rp 23 million to someone in Lenteng Agung, South Jakarta.

"They then went to hide in Selabintana village in Sukabumi (West Java) before going to their boarding school in Depok," Gories said.

Based on Habib's preliminary statement, Agus is believed to be hiding somewhere in Depok with a Honda Tiger 2000 sports motorcycle that he bought using his proceeds from the stolen Kijang.

At the Selabintana house, the police found the weapons used by the two to end Ratna's life along with the stolen loot, including the victim's bank deposit slips with a total value of Rp 200 million and her purse.

Habib was quoted as saying: "We really had no plan to kill anybody. The sickles we had with us were not for killing."

Habib's left leg was slightly wounded by Agus' sickle during the fight with the victim, Gories said.

Police have also questioned Agus' bride to-be, Fitria.

Ratna's husband, Johan Pahlevi, 46, a Bank Indonesia employee, was on a one-week work trip to New York when his wife was killed. (emf/bsr)