T

he Jayapura City Police have named Julius Wenda, 32, a resident of Kotaraja, Abepura, a suspect in connection with the murder of Capt. Tasman M. Nur, 53, a member of the Cenderawasih Military Command, on Aug. 23.

“Julius has been named a suspect and charged with violating Article 338 of the Criminal Code on murder, which carries a 15-year sentence,” Jayapura City Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Imam Setiawan told reporters in Jayapura on Thursday.

Tasman was murdered on Aug. 23 while riding a motorcycle in uniform to his office at the military command in Polimak, Jayapura.

As Tasman was passing through Wolker camp in Perumnas III, he was allegedly stopped by Julius and his accomplice, who remains at large. Julius is charged with stabbing Tasman to death.

Tasman’s body was removed from the crime scene after police were informed of the crime by a resident who witnessed the murder.

An hour later, Julius was arrested at his home, situated behind the Kotaraja Bhayangkara Police Hospital.

“The motive behind the murder is still being investigated, but we speculate it was purely criminal because the suspect had also stopped and demanded money from a passing motorcyclist earlier. The victim probably refused to hand over his money, so he was stabbed,” Imam said.

The murder of the Indonesian Military member adds to the long string of violent crimes that have taken place in Jayapura since Aug. 1, starting with the murder of four people in Nafri village by unidentified person who remain
at large.

On the same day (Aug. 23), Cenderawasih University student Yass Kogoya was stabbed to death with a machete at the university’s rectorate complex in Waena, Jayapura, by unidentified men wearing masks after the victim attempted to prevent his assilants from stealing his backpack.

Yass was wounded in the stomach, and taken to Dian Harapan Hospital. The attackers are still being pursued by the police.

Due to the string of attacks, Jayapura residents are afraid to venture out at night. “We’d rather stay home if there’s no need to go out at night,” said one Jayapura resident, Sarce.