Body of Kidnap Victim Found With Legs Cut off

Zaky Pawas

A man who was reported as being kidnapped on his way to work two weeks ago was found dead by the side of a road on Friday, with both his legs cut off.

Jakarta Police detectives unit director Sr. Comr. Idham Azis confirmed the body found by the side of the Jakarta-Cikampek toll road near Karawang, West Java, was that of 27-year-old Victor Rizky Wibowo.

He referred all questions to the unit’s violent crimes chief, Adj. Comr. Nico Afinta.

Nico was not available for comment, but a source close to the case confirmed the finding.

“The victim was found with both of his legs amputated,” said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Victor worked at a multimedia company.

His wife, Selvi Magdalena, 24, reported on June 16 that he had been kidnapped.

In the police report she filed, Selvi described him as fair-skinned and with a tattoo on his back.

The body, which is now at the Kramat Jati Police Hospital in East Jakarta for an autopsy, matches those descriptions, the police source said.

He added the family initially believed Victor had only gone missing.

“Victor actually went missing on June 10,” the source said. “Before he left, he told his wife that he was going to meet a client in Pamulang in Tangerang.

“The wife reported the abduction after the victim’s father, Darmapana Wibowo, received a threatening text message demanding a ransom,” he said.

In their message, dated June 14, the kidnappers demanded Rp 300 million ($33,000) to release Victor unharmed.

The text message read: “If you want your [son] home safely, provide Rp 300 million and give us your decision as soon as possible … whether your [son] should live or die.”

Two days later the kidnappers sent another threatening message. This time, Selvi decided to report the case to the Jakarta Police.

On June 18, Victor’s black Daihatsu Xenia was found parked on the shoulder of the Jakarta-Bogor toll road.

“In the meantime, his father had already transferred Rp 50 million to an account under the name of Rokayah in Bekasi, as instructed by the kidnappers,” the source said “But when the police checked the address listed to that account, there was no one called Rokayah.”

Police have also failed to pinpoint the kidnappers’ location from their cell phone number.

“We locked onto them in Jakarta and Tangerang, but they kept moving,” he said. “It was very hard to keep pace.”

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Boy Rafli Amar confirmed police had tried locating them through both the victim’s and the kidnappers’ cellphones.

“Both phones were turned off for much of the time, so we couldn’t get a proper trace,” he said.

He added there were no signs of violence or struggle in the victim’s car.

“It was just parked like that by the side of the road,” Boy said.