Youths arrested for allegedly killing taxi driver

JAKARTA (JP): Depok police in the city's outskirts arrested four youths yesterday for allegedly killing a taxi driver and dumping his body on a street in South Jakarta.

Lt. Col. Yudi Susharyanto, the head of the Depok police precinct, said yesterday that the suspects, aged between 15 and 20 years, were arrested after a car chase with police officers on Jl. Proklamasi in Sukmajaya.

"They were apprehended at around 3:30 a.m. by 12 police officers who were carrying out a routine patrol and noticed a passing taxi with its emergency light on," said Yudi, who was installed at the post late last month.

Due to the emergency light, the armed police officers chased the blue and white Dian taxi in their patrol vehicles, he said.

Knowing the police were behind them, the teenagers, all high school dropouts, increased speed in the taxi.

"After a few minutes the police were able to intercept the taxi. They found fresh blood stains inside the car when all of the suspects were asked to get out," said Yudi.

The four suspects reportedly admitted to having killed the driver of the taxi and dumping his body in South Jakarta. They also said they intended to dump the vehicle somewhere in West Java, said the officer.

"They said that they initially intended to rob the driver, who resisted being robbed. They learned the victim had no money after they killed him," said Yudi.

The body of the driver, identified as Suratno, 32, was found on Jl. Intan near the Fatmawati hospital in Cilandak with his head almost severed from the neck.

"A total of 14 stab wounds were found in the head," Yudi said.

The suspects are identified as Sani, Hasan bin Leson, Andang bin Tulus and Ali. It is believed that they may have been intoxicated at the time of the crime. "We smelled alcohol on their breath," Yudi said.

The police seized a machete allegedly used by the group to stab the driver. Police found a wallet containing Rp 5,000 (US$2.15) in one of the suspect's pockets.

"The weapon allegedly used by Sani, 18, to cut the driver's throat was thrown by the suspect into the Ciliwung River while on the way to Depok," said Yudi.

Police found it impossible to trace the weapon because of the strong current of the river, he said.

Preliminary police investigation revealed that the four hailed the taxi on Jl. Fatmawati at midnight yesterday and asked Suratno to drive them to the Jeruk Purut area.

Before they arrived at the destination, the group asked the driver to change direction.

Shortly after the car passed down a quiet part of Jl. Intan, the group acted.

It remains unclear whether Suratno tried to defend himself but Yudi believes the victim had the chance to turn on the emergency light before he died.

"It's a good lesson for all drivers in the city that they should resist when passengers suspiciously change their destinations midway," said Yudi, a former senior officer at the Jakarta Traffic Police Directorate.

"There's no single reason to obey such a request. Just stop and ask them to pay the fare or drive them to a nearby police station," he said.

Hearing of Suratno's death and the youths' arrest, 150 taxi drivers from various firms gathered at the Depok police precinct, about 30 kilometers south of here. They said they wanted to teach the suspected murderers a lesson.

"Thank God nothing happened when we told the angry drivers to calm down," said Yudi.

"We promised to immediately complete the suspects' dossiers for early trial," he added. (bsr)