Man accused of poisoning mother‑in‑law with satay in Indonesia

A 40‑year‑old man, Purwadi Wahyudi, has been detained by Indonesian police on charges of murder after he allegedly laced chicken satay with rat poison and sent it to his 57‑year‑old mother‑in‑law, Aminah.

According to police, on 18 May Purwadi ordered chicken skewers from a local vendor. He then dipped the hot satay in a toxic chemical and couriered the dish to Aminah’s house, claiming to have been “disrespected” by the victim.

Investigators say the suspect tried to frame his sister‑in‑law by sending the food through a delivery app under her name, using her photo and details. A delivery driver raised suspicions: the delivery failed to show the woman’s name and the packaging had changed by the time it arrived.

Aminah was found the next day with her body covered in vomit, and police later discovered that she had died from a lethal dose of poison. Forensic tests of her organs confirmed the presence of rat poison and other toxic chemicals.

The incident is being treated as a planned murder, a crime under Indonesian law that carries the death penalty or, at least, a 20‑year prison sentence.

Family members reported that Aminah had received a satay delivery from an unknown person the day before her body was discovered. A neighbour also noted dead chickens near the victim’s coop. The victim’s youngest daughter, Luriyanti Putri, told investigators that her mother warned her not to eat the delivery food.

Police have detained Purwadi, but he has not yet been formally charged. The Boyolali police’s criminal investigation unit is continuing to examine the evidence and assess the motive behind the murder.