Murder of a Woman in the Muara Enim Rubber Plantation, the Motive is Debt English: Debt Motive for the Murder of a Woman in the Muara Enim Rubber Plantation

JAKARTA - The police have uncovered a premeditated murder case against a woman named Sri Wulandari who was killed in a gruesome manner in the rubber plantation of Gaung Asam Village, Belida Darat District, Muara Enim, South Sumatra (Sumsel), on Thursday, January 22, 2026.

Wakapolres Muara Enim Kompol Toni Arman said in this case the police had named two suspects, namely A (37) as the main perpetrator of the murder, and M who helped sell the victim's motorcycle.

"Suspect A surrendered shortly after the murder took place and shortly thereafter the arrest of suspect M was also carried out," he said in Muara Enim, Friday, quoted by Antara.

Arman said that the disclosure of this case was a follow-up to Police Report Number: LP/B-08/I/2026/Polsek Lembak/Polres Muara Enim/Polda Sumsel dated January 27, 2026.

Meanwhile, the motive for the murder was allegedly due to debt problems, as well as the suspect's desire to control the victim's motorcycle.

In addition to securing the suspect, officers also seized evidence in the form of one unit of a Honda Beat BG 6863 AEF motorcycle, one piece of cream hijab, one pair of brown sandals, one piece of black pants, one piece of gray T-shirt, and one black helmet.

He explained that the case began when a resident of Gaung Asam Village was tapping rubber trees and found a woman's body in the bushes in a state of decay covered with leaves and wood branches.

From the results of the investigation it was revealed that suspect A invited Sri Wulandari to the scene using the victim's motorcycle with the excuse of delivering tarpaulins.

Arriving at a deserted location, the suspect strangled the victim until he was limp, then wrapped the victim's hijab around his neck to make sure Sri was dead.

After the victim died, the body was pulled a few meters and covered with leaves and twigs to remove traces.

In this case, he continued, the main suspect will be charged with Article 459 of the Criminal Code, sub-article 458 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code, and sub-article 479 paragraph 3 of the Criminal Code as regulated in Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code with a threat of death penalty, life imprisonment, or a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Meanwhile, for suspect M, he will be charged with Article 459 of the Criminal Code, sub-article 479 paragraph 3 of the Criminal Code, and more sub-article 591 of the Criminal Code with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.