POLICE arrested two people suspected of assaulting a journalist following the verdict hearing of former Agriculture Minister (Mentan) Syahrul Yasin Limpo (SYL) at the Central Jakarta District Court. The perpetrators were arrested on Friday (12/7).
“In less than 1×24 hours, no more than one day around the 12th, two people were arrested who were suspected of committing a crime of violence together in public or ganging up,” said Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya Kombes Ade Ary Syam Indradi at Polda Metro Jaya, South Jakarta, Monday (15/7).
Ade Ary detailed the two people as MNM, 54 and S, 49. Both are suspected of committing acts of assault once morest the victim, Kompas TV cameraman Bodhiya Vimala.
“MNM, 54, is suspected of hitting the victim. Then another brother, S, 49, is suspected of kicking and hitting the victim and also the victim’s camera,” said the former South Jakarta Metro Police Chief.
The two perpetrators are suspected of being SYL sympathizers who claim to be from the Sulawesi Community Forum (Formasi). Ade said the motive for the assault on the journalist is still being investigated.
“Later we will investigate with the investigators, this is also something that is being investigated as to why the two suspects committed assault or violence once morest the victim. Later we will confirm,” he said.
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Now, MNM and S have been named suspects and detained. Both are charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code, with a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison.
“The arrest has been made on suspicion of criminal acts of gang assault or violence in public once morest people or property. As regulated in Article 170 of the Criminal Code with a maximum sentence of 5 years and 6 months (in prison),” said Ade Ary.
Previously, a Kompas TV journalist, Bodhiya Vimala Sucito, was the victim of a mob attack following SYL’s verdict trial on Thursday (11/7). The mob attack was caught on camera.
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There were several people chasing Bodhiya. One of them was seen trying to kick and hit him.
Bodhiya said the assault began when a group of people blocked journalists from taking pictures by blocking the exit of the courtroom. In fact, before the verdict was read, they agreed to give journalists the opportunity to take pictures.
“They immediately pushed and shoved and created chaos,” he said.
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A commotion ensued. Bodhiya fell because he was being pushed by the group and tried to protect the reporting equipment he was carrying. That was when the assault took place.
Bodhiya reported the incident to Polda Metro Jaya. The report was registered with the number: LP/B/3926/VII/2024/SPKT Polda Metro Jaya on July 11, 2024.
SYL’s lawyer, Djamaluddin Koedoeboen apologized for the assault incident. In fact, SYL was also said to have apologized following the trial at the Corruption Court Building.
Djamaluddin admitted that he did not know the perpetrators of the assault. He denied intentionally mobilizing the masses of supporters during the SYL verdict reading hearing.
“Yes, that’s right (don’t know), we don’t know. Outside of coordination, and in our opinion, we have no interest in that (deploying the masses),” he said when confirmed on Friday (12/7).
When asked regarding the perpetrator wearing the Sulawesi Community Forum (Formasi) uniform, he suspected that it was a member of the community who might want to provide support to SYL.
“The particular one comes from Makassar Bugis, he is a well-respected person there, besides that he is also good. So, there may be parties who sympathize with his incident,” he said. (P-5)
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