Two taxi drivers apprehended in murder of Korean last year

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)