By KEDIRI, INDONESIA — A man has been charged with the suspected murder of his pregnant wife after their remains were discovered in a sugarcane field in Kediri Regency, East Java.
The woman’s body, identified as Retno Wulandar, 28, was found in a decomposing state on 29 March, along with a baby’s body nearby.
The victim and perpetrator, Bisri Musthofa, 29, were both from Sukoharjo Village and had been experiencing problems in their marriage for some time. The victim had recently left home to start a small coffee-selling business.
The perpetrator and the victim met at around 6.30 pm local time on 26 March at the victim’s boarding house in Tulungrejo Village, Pare Subdistrict.
According to Ipda Dandy Fitra Ramadhan, who is a member of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Kediri Police, the perpetrator believed that the victim intended to engage in a romantic relationship with another man, which led to a heated argument while they were riding a motorcycle together.
As the perpetrator became increasingly enraged, he abruptly turned the motorcycle and accelerated the vehicle. During the incident, the victim fell and lost consciousness. The perpetrator then placed her back on the motorcycle and secured her with a jacket to prevent further accidents.
While en route, the victim fell off the motorcycle once more and was subsequently taken to a rice field area where the perpetrator disposed of her body in a sugarcane field. The perpetrator allegedly waited approximately ten minutes to ensure that the victim had passed away before departing the scene.
The body was discovered when three men sought shelter from the rain and discovered the body. After receiving the information, Arif Al Mulkolis and two colleagues investigated and discovered the victim’s body lying in a supine position in the middle of a sugar cane field.
The autopsy conducted at Bhayangkara Kediri Hospital revealed that the victim died as a result of severe head injuries from falling off the motorcycle without wearing a helmet.
The perpetrator confessed to all of his actions in front of the officer and was charged with multiple offences that carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.