The Motive behind Brig. J’s Premeditated Murder

The National Police have yet to disclose Ferdy Sambo’s motive for allegedly murdering Nofriansyah, also referred to as Brig. J. But according to Mahfud M.D., the motive behind the murder involves adult content.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

National Police Chief General (Pol) Listyo Sigit Prabowo (center) prepares to give a press statement regarding the death of Brigadier J (Nofriansyah Yoshua Hutabarat) at the National Police Headquarters, Jakarta, Tuesday (9/8/2022). The National Police Chief announced that the National Police special team had named former Head of the National Police Propam Division Inspector General (Pol) Ferdy Sambo as a suspect in the shooting case of Brigadier J at his official residence.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Although Insp. Gen. Ferdy Sambo has been named as a suspect in the murder of Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, also known as Brig. J, the National Police have yet to disclose the motive behind the murder. However, according to Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud M.D., the motive for murder is very sensitive and involves adult content.

“In terms of the motive, investigators will reveal it later, as they are still looking into it. The motive may also be too sensitive, as it involves adult content,” Mahfud said at the ministry on Tuesday evening (9/8/2022).

As the chair of the National Police Commission, Mahfud is constantly monitoring progress in the investigation. On Tuesday morning, he tweeted that the legal process for Brig. J’s murder would be handled by the police. In his tweet, he praised the police’s efforts, saying that the police had been capable of solving the case of serial killer Ryan Henyansah, also known as Ryan Jombang.

“Remember Ryan’s case?” he tweeted.

Mahfud confirmed his Twitter post.

Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo, from his visit to Mempawah regency, West Kalimantan, has urged the police for the fourth time to thoroughly investigate Nofriansyah’s fatal shooting. This is because the police’s reputation and credibility rests upon solving this case.

“From the beginning, I have urged [the police] to conduct a thorough investigation, do not hesitate and do not cover up anything, reveal the truth as it is,” said the President.

He added that public trust in the police should not deteriorate further as a result of this case. “The public image of the police must be maintained,” he said.

Fabricated facts

To cover up Nofriansyah’s murder, Ferdy apparently fabricated several facts. According to National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Ferdy intentionally fired multiple shots into the walls of his official residence in Duren Tiga, South Jakarta, to create the impression that a shootout had occurred.

After its investigation, the special police team decided to name Ferdy as a suspect in the murder of Nofriansyah.

Ferdy has been charged with Article 340 and subsidiary Article 338, in conjunction with articles 55 and 56, of the Criminal Code. Article 340 relates to premeditated murder, while Article 55 deals with parties who order or perpetrate criminal acts.

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“The team is currently questioning witnesses to find out whether FS [Ferdy] ordered or he himself was involved in the fatal shooting [of Nofriansyah],” said Listyo.

The police also revealed the fabricated facts during the preliminary investigation by the South Jakarta Police in mid-July. Then-South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Budhi Herdi Susianto said that a shootout had occurred between Nofriansyah and Second Agent (Bharata) E, or Richard Eliezer

Pudihang Lumiu, at Ferdy’s official residence, and that Nofriansyah had been killed during the incident.

Budhi revealed that the alleged shootout had occurred because Nofriansyah had sexually assaulted Ferdy’s wife, Putri Candrawati. Budhi said there were three witnesses in the incident, namely R, K and Putri (Kompas.id, 12/8/2022).

KOMPAS/NORBERTUS ARYA DWIANGGA MARTIAR

Putri Candrawati (batik blazer), wife of Inspector General Ferdy Sambo, visited the Mobile Brigade Headquarters Kelapa Dua, Depok, West Java, on Sunday (7/8/2022). His arrival was accompanied by his attorney, Arman Hanis (left).

Listyo also mentioned the same initials when announcing the three murder suspects, namely RE, RR and KM. RE refers to Eliezer, while RR refers to Brig. Ricky Rizal, both aides to Putri who had been named as suspects. Meanwhile, KM is Kuat, a driver for Ferdy’s family.

Listyo later confirmed that Nofriansyah had been murdered, and that Nofriansyah had been shot by Eliezer on Ferdy’s orders. Thus, there was no evidence that the initially reported shootout had actually taken place.

According to the National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) head, Comdr. Gen. Agus Andrianto, Ricky and Kuat both played a part in Nofriansyah’s murder, assisting the crime and being aware of the shooting.

Eliezer has offered to be a justice collaborator, a witness cooperating with law enforcement to reveal the “bigger fish”, for the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) In this case.

“This has helped shed light on this case,” said Listyo, who did not disclose Ferdy’s motive for killing Nofriansyah.

“We are currently [questioning] the witnesses, including Ibu PC [Putri Candrawati],” he said.

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During the investigation, Listyo said that 31 police officers, from 25 officers previously, were now being questioned as witnesses. Four officers were being held at the Mobile Brigade headquarters (Mako Brimob) in Depok. The police witnesses ranged in rank, from brigadier general to adjunct commissioner and to commissioner.

The fabrications in this case were also noted by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), which is running a parallel investigation. While questioning witnesses, Komnas HAM chairman Ahmad Taufan Damanik said that both Eliezer and Ricky made eactly the same statement, even though the two were questioned separately.

“He said the same thing, with more or less the same words and structure. When we went over the events again, he repeated [his statement] in the same way,” said Taufan.

Meanwhile, Putri, who was also a witness in this case, was still traumatized and was unable for questioning, according to the LPSK. Since the case unfolded, Putri has requested, through her attorney, witness protection from the LPSK.

However, as new information comes to light in connection with Nofriansyah’s murder, LPSK chairman Susilaningtias said the LPSK would review her request.

“It is possible that the information provided by Putri is also false,” he said. (WKM/NAD/DEA/NIA/HAR)

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.