Nofriansyah’s Murder Trial Begins

On Monday (17/10/2022), a judicial panel at the South Jakarta District Court opened the trial for those accused of causing the death of Brigadier Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat.

KOMPAS/NORBERTUS ARYA DWIANGGA MARTIAR

Ferdy Sambo, defendant accused of being involved in murder of Nofriansyah, entered court room in South Jakarta District Court, Monday (17/10/2022).

From morning until evening on Monday, the judicial panel, chaired by head judge Wahyu Iman Santosa and comprising judges Morgan Simanjuntak and Alimin Ribut Sujono, opened the trial of four defendants accused of being involved in the premeditated murder of Nofriansyah, namely Ferdy Sambo, his wife Putri Candrawathi, Brig. Ricky Rizal (Sambo's bodyguard) and Kuat Ma'ruf (domestic worker). A fifth defendant, Second Agent (Bharada) Richard Eliezer, Sambo's bodyguard, will be heard on Tuesday (18/10/2022).

The five defendants are also charged with obstruction of justice, including the destruction of evidence. The trial of six other defendants, Chuck Putranto, Baiquni Wibowo, Agus Nurpatria, Hendra Kurniawan, Arif Rahman Arifin, and Irfan Widyanto, will open on Wednesday (19/10/2022). The trials will be held like a marathon on successive days over one week, because the defense team will present their objections (exceptions) immediately after the public prosecutor reads out the indictment.

Also read:

> Sambo’s Police Contacts Set Murder in Motion

> Sambo, Putri and the Courtroom

The trial process will be the same: the indictment, immediately followed by the defense’s objections or exceptions, is likely to occur during today's and tomorrow's hearing. The judges will then issue an interim decision on whether or not the trial can proceed.

It seems there is no chance that the trial will be discontinued. Instead, the trial will continue by summoning witnesses, including the defendants testifying as witnesses for the other defendants, cross-examining the accused, expert testimony, presenting the evidence, and reading out the demands and pleas (pleidoi), to culminate with the verdict.

KOMPAS/NORBERTUS ARYA DWIANGGA MARTIAR

Ferdy Sambo, defendant accused of being involved in murder of Nofriansyah, sat before the judges, Senin (17/10/2022).

By holding the hearings continuously, it seems that the judges of the South Jakarta District Court are aware that the public want a quick conclusion to the trial for Nofriansyah's murder. The hearings have already begun. Almost all members of the Indonesian public are waiting for the conclusion to this case, which has attracted public scrutiny. A police officer had allegedly died at the hands of his superior, with the help of other police officers. The premeditated murder of a police officer, allegedly masterminded by a former inspector general, has also received wide attention from other parts of the world.

The indictment states that the gunshot wound in the head resulted from a gun fired by Sambo, the former head of the National Police's internal affairs division (Propam), who allegedly discharged a bullet into the head of his subordinate Nofriansyah, who had already been shot by Eliezer, to ensure that he was dead.

According to the Visum et Repertum (medical statement) written and signed by doctors Farah P. Karaouw and Asri M. Pralebda on 14 July 2022, Nofriansyah had died from a gunshot wound. The indictment states that the gunshot wound in the head resulted from a gun fired by Sambo, the former head of the National Police's internal affairs division (Propam), who allegedly discharged a bullet into the head of his subordinate Nofriansyah, who had already been shot by Eliezer, to ensure that he was dead.

Also read:

> New Chapter in Sambo Case

> President Warns the Police

The changing stories and scenarios have also marked the case surrounding Nofriansyah's death. Now, almost all eyes are on the South Jakarta District Court and the members of the judiciary handling the case to follow the trial as it unfolds.

The public have the right to know the truth. The victims and their families also have a right to justice. So, there should be no more efforts at engineering this case.

This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.