Three surrender to police in abortion case

JAKARTA (JP): Three more people wanted for their alleged involvement in abortion practices and the dumping of fetuses and babies have surrendered to police.

Ten people were apprehended last week and yesterday's arrests bring the number of suspects to 13.

The three have been identified as Herlina, a nurse who owns a clinic in the Johar Baru district of North Jakarta, her assistant Bale, and another man identified as Daniel.

They turned themselves in at different times Sunday, a senior police officer said yesterday.

City police said they found about 10 bones, believed to be from aborted fetuses, buried in a corner of the front yard of Herlina's clinic.

The unearthing of bones at the clinic was the fourth incidence of dumping in the city.

Last month remains were found at Warakas' garbage dump in North Jakarta and, more recently, in the backyard of a school for disabled children in Central Jakarta and another site at Herlina's clinic.

According to the officer, who refused to be named, the three have been detained at a police subprecinct in North Jakarta.

All but one of the remaining 10 suspects are also being held at the same subprecinct, the officer said.

"The other suspect, identified as Jaya, a doctor and also a lieutenant colonel, surrendered on Nov. 29 to Military Police Headquarters."

Police had been pursuing the 13 people following the discovery of 11 babies and fetuses wrapped in three plastics bags at a garbage dump on Jl. Warakas in Tanjung Priok on Nov. 21.

According to the source, 50-year-old Jaya was working as a doctor at two clinics -- Herlina and Amalia -- both on Jl. Tanah Tinggi IV. The clinics are suspected of having performed abortions.

He also worked at the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital in Central Jakarta, the officer said.

Another doctor, Budiman, also 50, was arrested last week for his involvement in the illegal practices at the same two clinics.

The other eight suspects are identified as Kurniasih, 41, the owner of Amalia Clinic, Tarinah, 52, Udin, 40, Sumarjo, 55, Sri Sumiyati, 34, Tad Mauruh, 57, Mariani, 27, and Suprih, alias Kampret, 40.

Most of them live in Tanah Tinggi or a nearby area.

The source said that Kampret, Sumarjo, Udin and Sri were allegedly responsible for dumping the fetuses and babies.

"Udin and Sri, for example, were involved in the dumping of 11 bodies at Warakas. They might regret that they decided to just throw the bodies there without considering the possibility of other people later finding the bodies," he said.

"They must not have considered the dumping a serious matter because they just left the babies at the garbage site."

He said Sumarjo and Daniel, who worked as a gardener and a school employee respectively, had allowed Udin and Kampret to use the school as an alternative dumping site for the aborted fetuses.

The suspects dumped the bodies at night after the two clinics had closed, he said.

The officer said police are still looking for more suspects and evidence to help close the case.

"We are still searching for another six people, whose identities and roles are already known."

He identified them as Pra, Tbr, Nin, Gin, Yul and Est.

"The first four are a nurse, an amateur anesthetist and cleaners respectively at Amalia clinic. The other two are a nurse and employee at Herlina's."

He said the discovery of more babies in other areas were mainly due to confessions by those in custody.

On Thursday and Saturday, police found at least 10 babies' bones and the skeleton of an infant buried in eight different holes in the backyard of a school for disabled children on Jl. Arief Rachman Hakim 5B in Central Jakarta.

The arrested doctors and owners of the clinics will be charged under Article 348 and 349 of the Criminal Code for conducting or helping with abortions.

The articles carry a maximum penalty of five years and six months and possible revocation of the suspects' medical licenses.

While Tarinah, Kampret, Udin, Sri, Tad and Bale will be charged under Articles 46 and 348, which apply similar penalties, for being accomplices.

Sumarjo and Daniel will be charged under Articles 221 and 181 for their involvement in the dumping of aborted fetuses. They will face a maximum penalty of nine months in jail or a Rp 300 fine. (cst)