Two arrested over killing of 80-year-old Singaporean man in Central Java in suspected love triangle

CILACAP, Central Java: Two Indonesians have been arrested over the killing of an 80-year-old Singaporean man whose body was found in a river in Central Java, in a case local police say was motivated by a love triangle. 

An alleged mastermind remains at large, Cilacap police chief Budi Adhy Buono said on Mar 27.

The body of Syed Saleh Awad was discovered on Feb 20 at around 2.30pm in the Cintanduy river in Cilacap regency. 

Police said the case began with the discovery of the body, which was later linked to a missing persons report filed with the Jakarta Metropolitan Police.

Syed Saleh had been living in his child’s home in the Tanah Abang area of Jakarta, which is about 300km from where his body was found. 

“We questioned five witnesses. Based on that and the evidence we gathered, we arrested two suspects identified by the initials H and K,” Budi said at a press conference on Mar 27. 

The suspects, both 35, are from the Pengandaran regency in West Java. 

Local media reports and a circulating missing persons poster indicate Syed Saleh was 80 years old. 

According to the poster, he was last seen in Ciawi, Bogor and was due to return to Singapore on Feb 25. 

WHAT THE POLICE FOUND

Police investigations revealed that the murder took place on Feb 16 at around 7.30pm, at a rented house in the Bumi Mutiara Indah housing complex in Sukabumi, West Java.

The house had been rented for about a month and was allegedly prepared in advance for the killing of Syed Saleh. 

Suspect H had acted as the executioner, striking Syed Saleh twice on the neck with a metre-long bamboo stick.

Meanwhile, suspect K covered the victim’s mouth to prevent him from screaming.

After the victim died, the two men wrapped the body in bedsheets and plastic, before encasing it in cement to weigh it down. 

“After killing Syed Saleh, both H and K drove around with the body for about 30 minutes, before returning to the house to decide their next steps. They later disposed of the body at the Menganti Dam in Cilacap using a vehicle they prepared,” Budi said.

The body was eventually found floating in the Citanduy river, which is about an hour’s drive from Menganti Dam. 

H and K, who were construction and harvest labourers, were arrested on Mar 25 at around 9pm in the Patimuan area of Cilacap.

LOVE TRIANGLE ENDS IN TRAGEDY

Authorities revealed the motive for the murder was jealousy.

“The victim was close to a woman named Lina, who already had a boyfriend,” said Budi, the Cilacap police chief. 

Lina’s boyfriend, identified by the initial A, is the alleged mastermind and remains on the run.

“The wanted suspect is the one who planned the murder,” Budi said. 

A, who is from Sukabumi, had known H and K for a long time as they had previously worked together. 

Syed Saleh had reportedly visited Sukabumi several times for alternative medical treatment, during which he got to know Lina. 

“Lina’s parents knew the victim and they often met when he sought alternative treatment in Sukabumi,” Budi said.

On Feb 16, the day of the murder, Syed Saleh travelled from Jakarta to Sukabumi, about 108km away, in a blue Toyota Raize to meet Lina.

He was then invited to the rented house, where he was killed.

“The victim was invited to the rented house because they knew each other, and that is where he was killed. Lina was not aware that the victim would be killed,” Budi said. 

“The disposal of the body was not random. They already knew about a dam in the Cilacap border area,” he added. 

The case will be handed over to Sukabumi police, where the main crime took place.

H and K have been charged under Article 459 of the Indonesian Criminal Code for premeditated murder, which carries the penalties of death, life imprisonment or a maximum of 20 years in prison.