The police found 10 bodies that were allegedly killed by Slamet Tohari (45), a double wealth shaman in Banjarnegara, Central Java. If added to the one victim previously found, it is suspected that 11 people were killed.
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WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO
·4 minutes read
WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO
Members of the Banjarnegara Resort Police along with volunteers dug and evacuated at least 10 body bags of suspected murder victims from the location of a cassava and cabbage plantation in Balun Village, Wanayasa District, Banjarnegara, Central Java, Monday (3/4/2023).
BANJARNEGARA, KOMPAS — The case of a shaman promising to double wealth who kills his victims by poisoning has again occurred. Slamet Tohari (45), the perpetrator, killed 11 of his victims in Banjarnegara regency, Central Java.
Banjarnegara Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Hendri Yulianto said on Monday (3/4/2023) that the perpetrator, who is familiarly called Mbah Slamet, was a resident of Wanayasa district, Banjarnegara. The case unfolded with a report on the disappearance of one victim, Paryanto (53), a man from Sukabumi, West Java.
The victim's family reported that Paryanto left for Banjarnegara to meet Slamet on Thursday (23/3/2023). Arriving at Slamet's house, the victim sent a message through WhatsApp to his child. In the message, he said that if there was no news from him for several days, the child should come to Slamet's house with the authorities.
"This is [sent] from Pak [Mr.] Slamet's house. Just in case, if Father's age is shortened, for example, Father sends no news until Sunday, just go straight to the location with the authorities," Hendri said, reading out the message.
On Friday (24/3/2023), Paryanto began not to able to be contacted because his cell phone was not active. The family then reported the case to the Banjarnegara Police Station, Monday (27/3/2023). The police then traced Slamet's location and conducted an investigation.
According to the results of the investigation, it discovered that Paryanto had been killed by Slamet. Paryanto's body was buried by a forest path in Wanayasa.
The murder was linked to a fraudulent scheme that Slamet operated. For the past five years, Slamet claimed to be a shaman who could double money. Paryanto was one of the victims he had cheated. Paryanto reportedly handed over a total of Rp 70 million to Slamet.
However, because the promise to double the money never produced results, Paryanto repeatedly asked Slamet about it. Annoyed, Slamet finally killed the victim by giving him a drink mixed with potash.
WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO
The location of the murder victim who was buried in a cassava and cabbage plantation in Balun Village, Wanayasa District, Banjarnegara, Central Java, Monday (3/4/2023). Members of the Banjarnegara Resort Police together with volunteers dug up and evacuated at least 10 body bags of suspected murder victims.
Assisted by another man
In carrying out his scheme as a money-doubling shaman, Slamet was assisted by Budi Santoso (33). Budi uploaded information to Facebook saying that Slamet was an orang pintar (shaman) who could double money.
Meanwhile, Slamet said that Paryanto had given him money gradually over a period of time. "The Rp 70 million was given gradually. First Rp 20 million, then Rp 10 million, and so on up to Rp 70 million. I promised to double it to Rp 5 billion," said Slamet.
Slamet said the money he gained from the fraud was used to pay off his debts. He also admitted that Paryanto was not the only victim who he had deceived through his money-doubling scheme. He had deceived five people.
On Monday afternoon, the Banjarnegara Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit, together with the Indonesian Automatic Fingerprint System (Inafis) team, excavated the ground near the location where Paryanto's body was discovered. From Kompas’s observation, the operation discovered a number of bodies that had decomposed, leaving only their bones.
The excavation site was on a hill planted with cassava and puspa (needlewood) trees in Balun village, Wanayasa.
The bodies were believed to be victims who had been murdered by Slamet. Slamet participated in the excavation by pointing out where he had buried the bodies of his victims.
By Monday afternoon, 11 bodies had been unearthed at the location, including Paryanto's body. The excavation site was on a hill planted with cassava and puspa (needlewood) trees in Balun village, Wanayasa.
To reach the location, the team had to pass a cabbage farm located around 500 meters from the highway between Wanayasa (Banjarnegara) and Kajen (Pekalongan). Officers dug up at least three areas that Slamet pointed out.
‘Closed person’
A number of Balun villagers said Slamet Tohari was a “closed person”.
"Outside the village, people know him as Kiai Slamet, but the villagers here call him Mbah Tohari. Indeed, he is a closed person," said Mahmudin (43), one of Slamet's neighbors.
He often saw many visitors coming to Slamet's house. They were called “Slamet’s patients” and came from outside the city.
Even though outsiders knew Slamet as a money-doubling shaman, the residents of Balun village doubted this claim. However, the villagers said they could not interfere in Slamet's affairs.
"We were surprised that it turned out there was a murder case. Indeed, outsiders had heard that he could duplicate money, but what can we do?" said Mahmudin.
Balun village head Mahbudiono added that Slamet rarely hung out with the local residents.
The case of Slamet brings to mind the similar cases of Wowon Erawan, alias Wowon (60), Solihin, alias Duloh (63), and M. Dede Solehudin, alias Dede (35), in Cianjur and Bekasi, West Java. They also claimed to be a money-doubling shaman. Wowon killed nine people.
