Medan – The Medan Legal Aid Foundation (LBH) and the North Sumatra (Sumut) Committee for the Safety of Journalists (KKJ) have submitted electronic evidence with the Bukit Barisan I Regional Military Command Military Police (Pomdam I/BB) related to the involvement of First Corporal HB in the alleged pre-mediated murder of Tribrata TV journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu and three family members.
"There was seven pieces of electronic evidence in the form of a record of Eva's conversations, who is the son of the late Rico, with Bebas Ginting alias Bulang (the defendant)", said Medan LBH Director Irvan Saputra on Monday February 17.
Saputra said that Eva Meliani Pasaribu was phoned by the defendant Ginting. In the conversation, Ginting confessed to the involvement of First Corporal HB in the death of the victim.
"This was also clearly revealed during at the trial at the Kabanjahe District Court where Bebas Ginting explicitly conveyed through his attorney (PH) the involvement of other parties, in this case the involvement of First Corporal HB", he explained.
According to Saputra, the involvement of First Corporal HB was actually also revealed during a crime reconstruction conducted by the North Sumatra Regional Police (Polda Sumut) and the sequence of the premediated murder.
"Then the evidence from a video recording of the trial at the Kabanjahe District Court covering the agenda of the examination of four witnesses under oath presented by the prosecutor in which the witnesses stated that First Corporal HB was the owner of the gambling house reported on by the late Rico", he said.
Before his death, Pasaribu was repeatedly asked by HB to withdraw the news report. Witnesses also revealed that Bebas Ginting was HB's right hand man or a person trusted by HB who was tasked with securing his gambling business from ormas (social mass or organisations, usually religious) and journalists.
"Not only are we providing this evidence, we also questioning the law enforcement process being conducted by the Pomdam I/BB", he said.
Because, it turns out that the three defendants, namely Bebas Ginting, Yunus Syahputra Tarigan and Rudi Apri Sembiring, who are suspected of being the people HB ordered to kill Pasaribu and his family, have still not yet been questioned by the Pomdam I/BB.
"LBH Medan believes that there have been many irregularities in the law enforcement process against First Corporal HB, this can be seen clearly where six months after Eva's report, these three defendants have not been questioned", he said.
Separately, Bukit Barisan I Regional Military Command Military Police Commander (Danpomdam) Colonel CPM Umpok Anggiat Simanjuntak stressed that they would explore and investigate the electronic evidence in accordance with applicable legal procedures.
"We will apply for a digital forensic examination from the Polda Sumut regarding the latest material information submitted by the reporters", he explained.
He emphasised the Kodam I/BB and the Pomdam I/BB's support for a transparent and fair legal process. "We appeal to all parties to remain calm and not speculate before there are results from the official investigation" added Simanjuntak.
On Thursday June 27 last year, a fire destroyed a coffee shop and small goods shop belonging to Pasaribu on Jalan Nabung Surbakti in Kabanjahe district, Karo regency, North Sumatra. During the incident, four people were killed by the fire namely Pasaribu (40), his wife Eprida Br Ginting (48), his son was Sudiinveseti Pasaribu (12) and his grandson named Lowi Situngkir (3).
Three people have been named suspects in the case. They are Yunus Saputra Tarigan (YST), Rudi Apri Sembiring (RAS) and Tanah Karo Youth Renewal Generation of Indonesia (AMPI) Chairperson Bebas Ginting. Police allege that the three suspects ordered and executed Pasaribu's death by setting fire to his house.
The family however suspects that there is another party that is allegedly involved, a TNI (Indonesian Military) soldier named First Corporal HB who was cited in the news report written by Pasaribu.
In the news reported broadcast by Tribrata TV, Pasaribu said that HB was involved in gambling. Following the news report, Pasaribu's house was burnt down. (fnr/pta)
[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "LBH Minta Pomdam Usut Koptu HB di Kasus Tewasnya Wartawan Tribrata TV".]
