Teenagers arrested for fatal attack

JAKARTA (JP): Three teenagers have been arrested for allegedly beating a youth to death in Kembangan district, West Jakarta, city police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday.

Aritonang identified the three as Topan Bin Samari, 19, M. Rojali, 18, and Jeny, 18.

"The three admitted during interrogation that they were among a group of at least six people who beat the victim following an argument believed to have been sparked by the victim on Sunday evening."

He said police were still looking for the teenagers' three friends.

The suspects may face a maximum penalty of 12 years in jail for violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code if found guilty of beating a person to death.

Aritonang said that about 10 p.m. Sunday the victim, Deni Setiawan, 17, and at least five of his friends took a shortcut out of the Unilever housing complex by jumping over a wall.

But one of Deni's sandals became stuck between the wall's iron bars, he said.

"Another group of youths began laughing when Deni tried to retrieve his sandal."

He said Deni had apparently felt insulted, so he challenged the youths to fight.

"Maybe he challenged the group because he was sure his friends would help him. But, unfortunately, his five friends ran away when he approached the group."

Aritonang said the youths who attacked Deni lived in a nearby estate.

"Both Deni's group and his rivals were apparently (school) dropouts and unemployed."

One of the arrested teenagers, Topan, told interrogators that he and the others were not laughing at Deni, he said.

"We were talking about a girl in our neighborhood, not about him or his sandal. But he suddenly came to us, accusing us of making fun of him," Topan was quoted as saying.

Aritonang said Deni died before other people, who tried to break up the fight, could take him to a hospital. (cst)