Math Olympiad winner stabbed to death over BB

The motive behind the killing of Math Olympiad winner Christopher Melky Tanujaya turned out to be for want of a BlackBerry.

The Jakarta Police announced Friday that Christopher was fatally stabbed by an unemployed man who wanted to rob the young prodigy of his smartphone.

Christopher died after suffering stab wounds to his neck during an attack near a Transjakarta bus shelter in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, at about 7 p.m. on Dec. 5. His personal belongings were found intact on his person.

On Thursday night, North Jakarta Police arrested a man whom they allege stabbed and robbed the National Science Olympiad winner in Pluit.

North Jakarta police chief Sr. Comr. Andap Bhudy said that the suspect, A.J., “was arrested at his home in Pluit”.

On the day of the incident, A.J., 24, a junior-high school dropout, woke up at 10 a.m., watched a music program on TV and then roamed through the area’s streets. Late in the afternoon, he allegedly prepared a knife and set about looking for a victim, according to Andap.

When he saw Christopher getting off a Transjakarta bus, A.J. followed him. Christopher was traveling home from a get-together held by fellow scholarship recipients from Singapore when the attack happened.

The suspect allegedly snatched his BlackBerry and stabbed him four times in the neck and shoulder, the police allege. The suspect later escaped by bicycle taxi.

Christopher, a student at Saint Joseph’s Institute in Singapore, died later in Atma Jaya Hospital in North Jakarta.

“After the attack, the suspect went back to his home and washed the bloodstains from his hands and his shirt,” Andap said.

He also cut his hair to avoid police detection.

A.J. did not resist arrest, which was made at his home in Pluit, North Jakarta.

If found guilty, A.J. faces up to 15 years in prison.

Stephanus Hans Tanujaya, the victim’s father, praised the police for making the arrest, although he questioned whether anyone else was involved.

“If the suspect is actually the killer, I thank the police. Personally, I have forgiven him [the suspect] and I now hand all the legal proceedings over to the police.

“I ask the police to investigate further for the possibility of accomplices,” Stephanus said.

Christopher should have left for Australia on Wednesday, where he was due to have decided whether to study at the University of Sydney or the University of Queensland.

The silver medal winner at the 2009 National Science Olympiad received a scholarship to continue his high school education in Singapore on the merit of his academic records.

In recent months, Jakarta has witnessed several seemingly senseless attacks, which have resulted in the deaths of young people.

Another youth, Ahmad Yoga Fudholi, was beaten to death by assailants after he allegedly took the wrong helmet for his motorbike.

In August, Livia Pavita Soelistio, a student at Bina Nusantara (Binus) University, was found dead in Cisauk, Tangerang, after she was raped and killed.

In March, Amanda Dewi Setiawan, a student at the IPEKA International Christian high school, died on her birthday after residents found her unconscious with stab wounds to her stomach at the side of a road in Taman Meruya Ilir, West Jakarta.