Eliezer's Honesty, Courage
Deolipa said Eliezer obeyed the order to shoot because it came from his superior. Both Nofriansyah and Eliezer were Ferdy's aides.
The mystery surrounding the death of Brig. J (Nofriansyah Yoshua Hutabarat) has been unveiled in line with the naming of Insp. Gen. Ferdy Sambo as a suspect. Second Agent (Bharada) E's honesty was decisive.
The press conference held by National Police Chief Gen. (Pol) Listyo Sigit Prabowo on Tuesday evening (9/8/2022), which announced Ferdy’s suspect status, uncovered a part of the mystery and the controversies of recent weeks.
Several facts that were confirmed include that what had actually happened was a shooting, not a shootout as had been stated so far, and that it was done by Bharada E, or Richard Eliezer P Lumiu, on Ferdy's order.
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> Disclosing Motive would Bolster Perceptions of Police Objectivity
> The Motive behind Brig. J’s Premeditated Murder
Ferdy fabricated facts in order to cover up Nofriansyah’s murder. According to Listyo, Ferdy deliberately fired several bullets into the wall of his official residence to give the impression that there had been a shootout (Kompas, 10/8/2022).
At the time, Budhi said that a shootout had occurred between Nofriansyah and Eliezer that led to the death of Nofriansyah.
For a long time, this deception has been conveyed to the public, including at a press conference in mid-July by Comr. Budhi Herdi S., who was then the head of the South Jakarta Police. At the time, Budhi said that a shootout had occurred between Nofriansyah and Eliezer that led to the death of Nofriansyah.
The facts started to emerge when Eliezer offered to be a justice collaborator to the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK). A justice collaborator is a witness involved in the crime under investigation who assists law enforcement.
Deolipa Yumara, Eliezer's lawyer, said that his client had confessed that his superior had ordered him to shoot Nofriansyah. Eliezer also said that there had been no gunfight. These vital points of his confession were contained in the interrogation transcripts.
Deolipa said Eliezer obeyed the order to shoot because it came from his superior. Both Nofriansyah and Eliezer were Ferdy's aides. "Yes, in the police, he must obey the orders from [his] superiors. We also, [as] employees, obey orders from our leaders," he said (Kompas, 9/9/2022).
We appreciate Eliezer's honesty and courage in presenting the real facts. His position as an aide to Ferdy, a two-star general whose "request" to follow a "packaged story" that was arranged to benefit Ferdy, did not diminish Eliezer's desire to be honest and brave.
Based on his confession, the National Police have now questioned 31 police officers, of whom 11 have been placed in a special room to undergo an ethics trial related to the unprofessional handling of the crime scene.
The close monitoring and supervision by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud M.D. has also confirmed that this case is being handled on the right track.
President Joko Widodo's four appeals to conduct a thorough investigation of the case and to reveal the facts “as is” have been fulfilled from the results of the National Police’s investigation. The close monitoring and supervision by Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud M.D. has also confirmed that this case is being handled on the right track.
The law must judge who is truly guilty, not those who are made scapegoats. The National Police, as a law enforcement institution, should demonstrate their best performance because they are funded by the state.
(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)