Jakarta Police Arrest Baekuni, Known as "Babe," After a 9-Year-Old Street Busker Is Found Dead by a Canal
The boy's parents told police he often spent time with Baekuni, a man known for looking after street children. Police later linked him to other children's deaths.
Published
The body of a 9-year-old street busker was found beside an East Jakarta canal on January 8, 2010. Early the next morning, police arrested Baekuni, a man known as "Babe" who looked after street children.
The boy, Ardiansyah, was found near the East Flood Canal bridge on Jalan Raya Bekasi in Cakung. Baekuni, 48, was arrested at 3 a.m. on Saturday, January 9, at his rented home in Pulogadung. Ardiansyah's parents had told police that their son, who sang for money around the Pulogadung bus terminal, often spent time with him. Baekuni was the son of a poor farmer in Magelang, Central Java, and had left primary school and run away to Jakarta, Kompas reported. On January 17, the head of the investigating team, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Nico Afinta of the Jakarta police, said Baekuni had killed seven children aged 9 to 12.
Prosecutors declared the case file complete in April 2010. On October 6, 2010, the East Jakarta District Court sentenced Baekuni to life in prison for premeditated murder, and on December 13, 2010, after prosecutors appealed, the Jakarta High Court sentenced him to death. Indonesia's Supreme Court rejected his final appeal in a ruling dated April 21, 2011.
Police said in January 2010 that Baekuni had killed seven children, while the Supreme Court later found him guilty of killing 14 street buskers.
Sources
- Berkas Babe Telah P21, detikNews
- Mutilasi, Baekuni Lebih Keji, Ryan Henyansah Lebih Rumit, Kompas.com
- MA Tetap Hukum Mati Babe Pemutilasi 14 Bocah Pengamen, Liputan6.com