Rental Mining Location Becomes The Motive For The Murder Of 2 Manokwari Residents

MANOKWARI - Manokwari City Police (Polresta), West Papua said that the settlement of debt receivables for illegal gold mining sites in the Kasi Tambrauw Regency was the motive for the murder of two Manokwari residents with the initials AT and YW.

Manokwari Police Chief Kombes Rivadin Benny Simangunsong said five suspected perpetrators of the murder with the initials MT, MA, SK, RJ, and FD had been arrested.

The alleged perpetrator of MT was disappointed after being threatened by the owner of the customary rights to immediately settle the rental fee for illegal gold mining locations worth Rp250 million.

"MT is threatened by the owner of customary rights. MT is considered not to fulfill the obligation to pay for the rental of the location," said Benny Simangunsong as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, December 27.

The incident of mistreatment that killed AT and YW was revealed after the Masni Sector Police received reports from two victims who managed to escape, namely DW (suffering stab wounds) and K.

The police immediately acted and received information that 31 people, including four suspected perpetrators, fled to South Manokwari Regency. Meanwhile, the alleged perpetrator of MT fled to Bintuni Bay.

"Of the 31 people examined, there were four perpetrators, namely MA, SK, RJ, and FD. MT was arrested in Bintuni Bay," explained Benny.

In addition to the five suspected perpetrators, said Benny, the police also secured a number of evidences such as air rifles, shells, one pistol, communication equipment, one four-wheeled vehicle, and clothes.

The bodies of the two victims have been evacuated and the police are still waiting for the results of the autopsy for further investigation.

"The five suspects were charged with Article 340 and/or Article 338 in conjunction with Article 170 with the threat of imprisonment for a maximum of life," said Benny.

He appealed to the public, especially the families of the victims, not to block roads or other public facilities.

The conducive situation of the Manokwari community service is very helpful for the police to accelerate the handling of the murder case.

"We ask the police to handle this case. The positive law will continue, even if there is a problem solving according to local wisdom, go ahead," said the Police Chief.

Head of Criminal Investigation Unit of the Manokwari Police, AKP D Raja Putra Napitupulu, explained that according to the information of the four perpetrators, the bodies of the two victims were immediately buried in the oil palm plantation in the residential unit (SP) 5 district of Masni, Manokwari Regency.

The police then evacuated two bodies to the West Papua Police Bhayangkara Hospital for an autopsy.