AHMAD SURADJI

Ahmad Suradji

was a serial killer in Indonesia. Suradji, a cattle-breeder born in 1951, was executed July 10May 2, 1997, after bodies were discovered near his home on the outskirts of Medan, the capital of North Sumatra. He buried his victims in a sugarcane plantation near his home, with heads of the victims facing his house, which he believed would give him extra power. 2008. He was also known as Nasib Kelewang, or by his alias Datuk. He admitted to killing 42 girls and women over a period of 11 years. His victims ranged in age from 11 to 30, and were strangled with a cable after being buried up to their waists in the ground as part of a ritual. Suradji was arrested on

He told police that he had a dream in 1988 in which his father's ghost told him to kill 70 women and drink their saliva, so that he could become a mystic healer. As a sorcerer or dukun, women came to him for spiritual advice or on making themselves more beautiful or richer. His three wives—all sisters—were also arrested for assisting in the murders and helping to hide the bodies. One of his wives, Tumini, was tried as his accomplice. The trial began on December 11, 1997, with a 363-page charge against him, and although Suradji maintained his innocence, he was found guilty on April 27, 1998 by a three-judge panel in Lubukpakam. He was sentenced to death by firing squad and executed on July 10, 2008

From SKY NEWS

Ahmad Suradji, 57, was killed by firing squad despite a last minute appeal from human-rights group Amnesty International.

Bonaventura Nainggolan, spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said: "He appeared resigned to his fate.

"His final wish was to see his wife. We fulfilled this."

He added: "He pretended to be a shaman who could heal any kind of disease. If someone asked to be healed, both their possessions and their lives were taken."

Suradji lured his female victims to a sugarcane field near his home in western Indonesia.

He then buried them up to the waist and strangled them before reburying their bodies with the heads pointing toward his house.

Suradji also drank their saliva, believing it would enhance his powers.

The serial killer was arrested in May 1997 following the discovery of a body in the field in Lubukpakan, a village in North Sumatra province.

Dozens of other corpses were later found nearby.

A district court found the sorcerer guilty a year later of killing 42 women and girls, between the ages 11 and 30, over an 11-year period.

Many Indonesians believe in witchcraft and Suradji claimed he had the power to influence people's futures.

The victims were believed to have been seeking his help in making their husbands or boyfriends faithful.

Suradji's wife, Tumini, was also sentenced to death for assisting with the murders, but her sentence was later reduced to life in prison.