Urip says he killed woman, son out of frustration

JAKARTA (JP): Urip Ma'Muri told the South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday he murdered a 21-year-old woman and her 3-year-old son in October last year out of frustration over being unemployed.

"I was only 19 and I was extremely frustrated. I did not mean to murder the woman and her son. I unsuccessfully looked for a job for at least five months. I was just so frustrated when the woman spoke rudely to me," Urip, also known as Ucok, said during a hearing presided over by judge Soedarto.

Urip is on trial for the murder of Komariah and her son Abdurrohman. The defendant allegedly killed the two after Komariah refused to give him a match for his cigarette on the afternoon of Oct. 20 last year.

The hearing on Wednesday was held to allow the defendant to respond to prosecutor Hari Wahyudi, who recently asked the court to sentence Urip to 20 years in prison.

Hari said he was not seeking the death sentence for the defendant because the crime was Urip's first offense.

"The murders were his first offense, and besides he is only 19 years old ... let's see what presiding judge Soedarto decides," Hari said.

Hari said his sentence demand was in accordance with Article 339 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder, which carries a maximum punishment of life in prison.

He added that Cilandak Police detectives arrested Urip on Oct. 27 last year, a week after the murders.

Komariah was found lying on a mat with wounds to her neck and the right side of her abdomen, while Abdurrohman was lying next to her with slash wounds to his head and neck.

Urip earlier told police investigators he had asked to stay in the house temporarily because he had been unemployed for five months.

"On that Tuesday (Oct. 19 last year), I heard water running in the bathroom. I opened the connecting door slightly and saw Komariah bathing. I peaked at least four times," Ucok, who used to work as a construction worker, said.

"The next day when my friends went to work, I looked for a job but found nothing.

"Then I wanted to have a cigarette. I saw Komariah and ask for a match. But she told me that she did not have any matches," Urip said.

Urip said he was upset and went to a nearby vegetable stall and stole a knife before returning to Komariah's home.

He said he snuck up behind Komariah, held the knife to her and told her to hand over her valuables.

"She was still screaming so I cut her throat. Just as she became quiet, her boy got up and started crying.

"To knock him out I hit him across the face. He still wasn't knocked out so I cut his throat, too," the suspect said. (ylt)