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Three convicted murderers executed in Indonesia

20 July 2008, JAKARTA - Three convicted murderers have been executed in Indonesia after spending nearly 20 years on death row. An 59-year-old mother and her 43-year-old son who murdered five people for revenge and a self-described shaman who killed eight were executed by firing squad overnight, an official said Saturday. Sumiarsih and her son Sugeng, were shot at shortly after midnight near Surabaya city in eastern Java.

Tubagus Yusuf Maulana, alias Usep, was killed at 10:30 p.m. Friday in Banten on the western end of Java island, Attorney General's Office spokesman Bonaventura Nainggolan told. Maulana was found guilty last year of leading a gang that lured eight credulous villagers with supernatural promises of wealth into paying him thousands of dollars.

The bodies of all three prisoners were returned to their families early Saturday for burial, Nainggolan said. Indonesia has seen a string of capital punishments in recent months, kicked off with the execution of two Nigerian nationals in June on drug trafficking charges. Executions in Indonesia are by firing squad, usually carried out at night in isolated and undisclosed locations. The prisoner is notified at least 72 hours in advance.