Two taxi drivers apprehended in murder of Korean last year

JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives apprehended on Wednesday two men who allegedly specialized in preying on foreigners.

The two were identified as 33-year-old Jazuli and 27-year-old Darlin -- both Gema taxi drivers. They are suspected of killing a Korean and kidnapping a Frenchman last year.

Both were apprehended in their respective houses in Pamulang, Tangerang.

Two other suspects -- Franky and Fian -- are still at large.

"This is an old case but we're building it as we believe that the robbery gang is still operating," said city police chief of detectives Col. Alex Bambang Riatmodjo.

Police arrested eight people and shot dead three in a shoot- out in Sarua, Sawangan, south of here, in October last year.

During the raid, police also found a German citizen, Andreas Roxane, who had been kidnapped by the armed gang.

"I don't know anybody in Sarua," Jazuli, who hails from Palembang, South Sumatra, said when asked whether he knew any of those arrested or shot last year.

Jazuli and Darlin confessed they picked up a South Korean passenger, Ok Nam King, on Oct. 16 last year outside a discotheque in the Blok M area in South Jakarta.

But Jazuli, who drove the white cab, went to the Cinangka area instead of to Kelapa Gading where he had been told to go by the passenger.

In Cinangka, Jazuli, who had earlier hit Ok, killed him after taking his valuables.

The body of the design manager of a garment factory was dumped and found later in Angke River in West Jakarta with his mouth and eyes bound with tape.

Shortly after the murder, the culprits called Ok's wife and demanded a Rp 40 million ransom in exchange for her husband's life.

Jazuli and Darlin reportedly confessed that the money was divided between four of them and that the crime was their first and last.

However, detective Alex said the two were members of the vicious robber group which the police had cracked down on last year.

During preliminary questioning, the two confessed to involvement in several offenses, including violence toward a French national on Sept. 18; the robbery of a Czechoslovakian on Sept. 23; the robbery of an Austrian on Oct. 16; and the killing of Ok Nam King, Alex cited from the crime record. (emf)