Police in Bekasi are investigating the death of a South Korean national found with multiple injuries at his home, while a separate fatal assault involving a Bruneian citizen in South Jakarta has also come under scrutiny.
A South Korean national identified by the initials SBC (66) was found dead at his home in Buaran Hamlet, Lambangsari Village, South Tambun District, Bekasi Regency, on Wednesday, the 27th of May, at approximately 3 PM local time.
South Tambun Police Chief Commissioner Wuryanti said the victim’s body was discovered by his daughter in the dining room of the house, with multiple injuries visible on the body.
“The victim was first discovered by his daughter at around 3 PM, covered in blood,” Wuryanti told reporters on the following Thursday (the 28th of May).
Preliminary investigations suggest that the man, who reportedly lived alone, might have been the victim of homicide. Police have questioned six witnesses as part of the ongoing investigation to establish the sequence of events and uncover the alleged motive behind the killing.
Upon receiving the report, officers immediately attended the scene and carried out a crime scene investigation. The victim’s body has been taken for an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. Investigators are continuing to gather evidence from the scene while coordinating with the South Korean Embassy as well.
“We have coordinated with the South Korean Embassy and requested approval from the [victim’s] family,” Wuryanti added.
This was not the only case of violence involving a foreigner that happened in Jakarta this month. In early May, a separate assault case in the Blok M area of South Jakarta resulted in the death of a Bruneian national identified by the initials MHF. The victim died after receiving intensive treatment for serious injuries. Jakarta Metropolitan Police’s Head of Public Relations, Senior Commissioner Budi Hermanto, confirmed the fatal assault case.
“It is true that an alleged assault occurred, which resulted in the victim’s death,” he previously said on Tuesday, the 26th of May.
According to the investigation, the incident began in the early hours of Wednesday, the 6th of May, at around 3.30 AM local time. The victim was reportedly near the scene in front of Restu Sport in the Blok M Hub area. Several individuals approached the victim and began speaking with him, causing tensions to gradually escalate. During the altercation, a man identified by the initials MIA (33), known to be a Bruneian Instagram celebrity, arrived at the scene with a friend in a car.
Police stated that MIA exited the vehicle carrying a black paper bag suspected to contain a glass bottle. Tensions between the victim and the suspect intensified. The suspect then allegedly struck the victim once on the head using a paper bag containing a glass bottle, causing the victim to collapse.
On Friday, the 29th of May, police revealed that the incident was allegedly triggered by a misunderstanding between the suspect and a witness at the scene. According to Hermanto, the victim attempted to defend the witness, which led to an argument between the victim and the suspect. Investigators also revealed that prior to the incident, the victim had reportedly sent a voice note challenging the suspect to a fight.
“Based on the preliminary investigation, the motive for the assault is believed to have stemmed from the suspect’s anger,” Hermanto said as well.