Gambling Debts Drove Indonesian Man to Kill Delivery Driver, Say Police

Indonesian police say that spiralling gambling debts led a delivery driver to murder his coworker on Wednesday, September 3.

The Indonesian media outlet Detik reported that East Aceh Police Chief AKBP Irwan Kurniadi explained that the victim was aged 26.

Irwan and other East Aceh police officials held a press conference on September 4, with the chief suspect standing behind them in handcuffs.

Police say the suspect (identified only by his initials: RA) is a 25-year-old courier who works at the same delivery firm as the victim.

The firm is located in the village of Seuneubok Rambong, in the Idi Rayeuk District, to the northeast of the regional capital of Aceh.

The victim, identified by his surname (Bustamam), was found dead with multiple stab wounds on a street near the delivery firm’s headquarters.

Gambling Debts: Indonesian Man ‘Killed Coworker for Cash,’ Say Police

Irwan said police believe RA was driven to despair when he spent a customer’s cash-on-delivery (COD) payment on a losing bet on an online casino site.

Aware that Bustamam was carrying cash after completing a COD delivery of his own, RA plotted a murderous attack, the police chief said.

Irwan explained that RA “planned to kill the victim by preparing a kitchen knife.” He said that RA waited for Bustamam “on the side of the road, not far from where they both worked.”

RA allegedly stopped his motorcycle, claiming that it had broken down. He then asked for Bustamam’s help in pushing it back to the delivery center.

As the duo was making the journey, police said, RA stopped. RA reportedly told the victim he needed to check an unpaid order on his phone.

When Bustamam then began looking at his own cell phone, RA “approached from behind and stabbed him,” the police chief said. “The victim fought back and called for help. This made the perpetrator angrier, stabbing the victim in the neck and stomach.”

After the victim fell to the ground, RA reportedly stole a bag containing the COD payment and fled the scene.

Officers said RA then threw the knife, the clothes he was wearing, and the bag into the Peureulak River.

Irwan said: “RA then went to a money transfer service. Here, he deposited IRP 3 million ($182) of the stolen money into his personal account. We have recovered evidence, including IRP 3.6 million ($219) in cash and two cell phones.”

Police said they arrested RA at the delivery center nine hours after the suspected murder, at around 8 am the following day.

Crackdown Continues

Indonesian police are continuing to crack down on online casinos and illegal betting sites. The popularity of these sites continues to grow, despite the introduction of stricter penalties for online casino app operators.

Courts in Bali have recently jailed several teenage female social media influencers. The influencers used their Instagram accounts to promote online gambling platforms.

The government also claims that “anarchic” Indonesian streamers are using platforms like TikTok Live to promote violence and incite riots.

Meutya Hafid, the Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, says the streamers take donations from online gambling platforms.