Suherdjoko, Semarang – Second Cpl. Muslimin, who had been on the run from the police for hiring hitmen to kill his 34-year-old wife Rina Wulandari, was found dead at his parents' home in Kendal, Central Java, on Thursday morning.
Central Java police chief Insp. Gen. Ahmad Lutfi said Muslimin, a member of the Fourth Regional Military Command (Kodam IV) Diponegoro, had arrived at his parents' house in Trompo subdistrict at around 5 a.m.
"He apologized to his parents. Mustakim, his father, told him to surrender himself," Lutfi said.
According to his family, Muslimin started vomiting at around 5.30 a.m. Two hours later, they found him dead. The police have transported his body to Bhayangkara Police Hospital in Semarang for an autopsy.
The police and the Indonesian Military (TNI) have arrested five men in their investigation into the alleged assassination attempt, namely four believed to be hired hitmen and one who had allegedly provided the gun.
Rina was shot in her waist and stomach as she arrived at her house on a motorcycle with her 10-year-old daughter on July 18. She has been recuperating at Dr. Kariadi General Hospital (RSUP) in Semarang, Central Java, after undergoing surgery to remove one bullet at Hermina Hospital on Sunday.
In a press conference on Monday, Lutfi said that based on interrogations, Muslimin wanted to kill his wife because he was having an affair with his secretary and wanted to marry her.
Muslimin is allegedly backing up illegal gambling operations and his secretary has been doing the ledger. The perpetrator attempted to commit premeditated murder, which carries a maximum penalty of death or life in prison, Lutfi said.
Muslimin reportedly agreed to pay the hitmen Rp 200 million (US$13,360). The four perpetrators were riding two motorcycles when one of them shot Rina with a homemade gun. After the shooting, the hitmen reportedly received Rp 120 million from Muslimin, who allegedly had been planning the hit since June and ordered the hitmen to either poison his wife, kill her in a robbery or put a santet (spell) on her. (dre)