Cannibal heads for movie fame

2003-02-22 12:43

Jakarta -An Indonesian film producer has approached alleged cannibal Sumanto, who is awaiting trial for eating the corpse of a 90-year-old woman, to make a movie about his life, news reports said on Saturday.

Police confirmed that Jakarta-based Star Vision Plus had recently asked the imprisoned Sumanto, 30, permission to make his life story into a movie, The Jakarta Post said.

"Star Vision must obtain permission from the Central Java Police and later pay a royalty to Sumanto," said Purbalingga Police Chief Adjunct Senior Commissioner Abus Sofyan Abadi.

Sumanto, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, was arrested last month on charges of stealing the corpse of a 90-year-old woman in Purbalingga, 314km southeast of Jakarta.

The man confessed to eating parts of the corpse to obtain supernatural powers. Sumanto has also told police that he killed and ate two men who attempted to rob him when he was working as a labourer in Lampung province, Sumatra.

In a recent interview with Tempo magazine, an Indonesian news weekly, Sumanto said his goal in life was to eat the bodies of at least seven women to master the mystic art of "saipi angin", or "running with the wind".

"Luckily I was caught. If not, maybe I would still be doing it," Sumanto said of his unusual eating habits. -Sapa-DPA

- SAPA