Two jailed for teenage girl's murder

JAKARTA (JP): Judges at West Jakarta District Court sentenced Blackzhom Apua Walela and Ikhsan Mulyono on Monday to 42 and 36 months in jail respectively for the premeditated murder of female high school student, Heppy Trinita.

"The defendant, Blackzhom, is guilty of planning and executing the murder, along with defendants Ikhsan Mulyono and Teddy Yaputra Sulaiman.

"He is sentenced to 42 months in jail," said presiding Judge Vitalien Maryanti.

Separately, presiding Judge H.A. Pardede sentenced Ikhsan to 36 months in jail.

Prosecutor Bazatulo Telaumbanua earlier charged both defendants with Article 353 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of nine years in jail if convicted. The prosecutor earlier demanded the judges sentence Blackzhom and Ikhsan to 54 and 48 months respectively.

Both Blackzhom, 21, a former amateur boxer, and Ikhsan, 25, were servants of the main defendant, Teddy, 17.

Judge Vitalien said Blackzhom assisted Teddy in a plan to kidnap Heppy, 17, who was Teddy's girlfriend.

"Heppy rejected Teddy's request to not go overseas to continue her studies. Angry with her rejection, Teddy then came up with the plan," said the judge.

They carried out their plan on April 25 this year. First, Blackzhom and Ikhsan tested some chloroform they were going to use on Heppy on a chicken and rabbit, the judge said.

On the arranged day, Teddy, a son of a restaurant chain owner, purportedly had a flat tire while he drove a Mercedes Benz along with Heppy on Jl. Sekretaris in West Jakarta on their way to watch a movie in a nearby cinema, she said.

Ikhsan purportedly pointed a knife at Teddy, who got out of the car to check the tires, while Blackzhom grabbed Heppy and covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief soaked in chloroform, the judge said.

After the victim fell limp, she said, Iksan and Blacktozom left Teddy with Heppy. Teddy then took Heppy to a room at Hotel Pondok Citra on Jl. Daan Mogot, which he had booked earlier, the judge said.

The defendant then asked a hotel employee to help him carry the victim from the sedan to the room. Alerted by the victim's condition, the employee refused and instead asked Teddy to immediately bring the girl to a nearby hospital.

A medical doctor from Hidup Sehat clinic, Onnie Habie, came by later to check on her condition and told Teddy that Heppy was dead, she said.

In a separate hearing, prosecutor Bazatulo urged the court to sentence Teddy on Monday to 18 months in jail.

"The defendant, along with defendants Blackzhom and Ikhsan, committed torture, leading to the death of Heppy," said prosecutor Bazatulo in a hearing presided over by Judge Sultoni Mohdalli.

The prosecutor also demanded Teddy be charged with Article 353 of the Criminal Code.

Judge Sultoni adjourned the hearing until Nov. 15 to hear the defense statement from Teddy's lawyer. (asa)