TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
20 questioned over Japanese tourist murder
The Denpasar Police have questioned 20 witnesses in relation to the murder of Hiromi Shimada, a Japanese woman found dead in her rented house in Kuta on Saturday night
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
T
he Denpasar Police have questioned 20 witnesses in relation to the murder of Hiromi Shimada, a Japanese woman found dead in her rented house in Kuta on Saturday night.
Among the witnesses were the victim’s ex-husband, neighbors and close friends, Bali Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Sugianyar Dwi Putra said Monday.
“We are yet to reveal the motive behind the murder, but we are digging deeper into the possibility that it was motivated by personal problems [between the victim and the perpetrator],” he said.
The police believe the motive of the murder was revenge, as none of the victim’s goods were stolen.
“This murder is unlikely to have been motivated by money because no goods were stolen.”
The results of an autopsy from Sanglah Hospital confirmed the 41-year-old woman died from
blood loss.
The autopsy result also revealed the victim died around 12 hours before her dead body was found, and that there were clumps of blood on her stomach.
On Saturday night, detectives and specialists from the crime lab swarmed the victim’s house on Jl. Sadasari 17, Kuta, where they searched for evidence for five hours. They retrieved a knife and a used condom from the premise.
According to the police, Hiromi was a frequent visitor to the island. She arrived in Bali on Nov. 30 on a tourist visa.
The police’s preliminary findings found the victim had regularly visited the resort island over the last ten years. During her stay on the island, she had married twice.
Detectives also found copies of bank transfers indicating the victim regularly received money from her grandmother in Japan.
The transfers ranged from Rp 15 million (US$1,500) to 20 million each.
The police said the victim would be deported on Jan. 9, 2009, due to a legal problem with her visa.
Denpasar Police chief Sr. Comr. Alit Widana warned foreign tourists about safety and living in cheap rental houses.
He pointed out that tourists were prone to crime as private home owners did not report to the
police that they accommodated tourists.
Particularly in Hiromi’s case, he said, the victim’s rented house did not fulfill safety standards.
“We expect residents to help the police by giving us information about tourists living in rented houses in their neighborhood.”
Two Japanese tourists have been murdered in Kuta over the past three months.
Last September the island was shocked by the rape and murder of a Japanese woman.
The victim of the hideous crime was Rika Sano, 30.
The police succeeded in apprehending the suspect, identified as David Wicaksono, who is now awaiting his trial.
