Two men apprehended for murdering army sergeant

JAKARTA (JP): Two men have been arrested for the murder of Army officer First Sgt. Moh. Irsal Rumalian in the basement of the three-star Sentral Hotel on Jl. Pramuka in Central Jakarta Wednesday, police said Saturday.

City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said over the weekend the two suspects, identified as Empic Pelu, 26, and Emus Lekahena, 24, admitted to killing Irsal in a revenge attack.

"They said they killed Irsal because the latter stabbed one of their friends named Temmy on Sunday night."

He said the two, who were arrested separately in East Jakarta and Bekasi on Thursday night, claimed that Irsal stabbed Temmy at the Menteng Hotel in Gondangdia, Central Jakarta.

Aritonang said police were searching for Temmy to obtain his statement on the stabbing allegedly committed by Irsal.

It was still unclear whether Temmy had ordered the suspects to kill Irsal for him, he said.

Irsal, an officer of Army Headquarters' topography unit, was killed by about 10 men early Wednesday morning when he picked up his girlfriend, Irma Novianti, from the Marimba discotheque in Sentral Hotel's basement.

Police said Irsal had stayed at the hotel the night before he was murdered, a statement which was denied by a hotel officials.

Witnesses said the mob had waited in five cars parked in the basement and they attacked Irsal as soon as he left the discotheque with Irma.

However, Empic and Emus claim they are solely responsible for the death of Irsal, Aritonang said.

"But they apparently said that to cover for their accomplices."

The police believe that Irsal was framed by the perpetrators of the murder.

He said the two were charged under Article 340 of the Criminal Code on murder. The two may face a maximum of 20 years in jail if found guilty as charged. (cst)