Robbery motive in Jakarta 'toilet murders' case
JAKARTA: With all suspects in a shocking 'toilet murder' case in Jakarta caught, local police have said that robbery was the only motive behind the case.
The fourth suspect was arrested in Medan on Sunday.
The police statement was made following public speculation about the case, where six died after 11 people were crammed into a tiny toilet with no ventilation on Dec 26 in the upscale neighbourhood of Pulomas in East Jakarta.
"Based on questioning, the evidence and profiling of the suspects, we have come to the conclusion that the motive was to carry out a robbery," said Jakarta police spokesman, Senior Commissioner Raden Prabowo Argo Yuwono, on Monday.
Police said it made its conclusion after arresting Ridwan Sitorus, alias Ius Pane or Yus Pane, at a bus station in Medan.
Ridwan, a repeat offender in armed robbery cases, was released from prison in November 2015.
In the robbery, said to be led by Ramlan Butarbutar - who was shot dead by cops - Ridwan and two other alleged accomplices entered the house of tycoon Dodi Triyono and locked 11 people inside a 1.5m-by-1.5m bathroom for 15 hours.
They left with a Rolex watch and foreign currency totalling 60 million rupiah (S$6,454).
Six people died from suffocation, including Mr Dodi, two of his daughters, aged 9 and 16, the girls' friend and his two drivers.
SPREE
"The case is pure robbery. Within just a week, Ridwan and his team robbed two other houses in different locations before they went to Pulomas," Jakarta police chief Inspector General Mochamad Iriawan said.
There was widespread speculation that the crime may have been pre-meditated murder, as Mr Dodi was an architect and property developer involved in strategic development projects.
But Mr Iriawan said the gang was suspected of being involved in two robberies in West Java.
They had no previous record of killing their victims. - THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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