Killing Boarding House Owner In Medan Because Of Being Billed For Boarding Fees, 3 Nias Youths Escape Life Imprisonment

MEDAN - Three youths from Nias, North Sumatra, accused of murdering a boarding house owner in Medan have escaped life imprisonment. The verdicts handed down by the judges were different from the demands of the Public Prosecutor (JPU) who demanded life imprisonment.

The panel of judges chaired by Denny Lumban Tobing gave varied sentences to the three defendants. The three defendants, namely Faonasekhi Zamago, were sentenced to 20 years in prison. Two of his colleagues, Bezisokhi Zalukhu and Aperseven Zalukhu were each sentenced to 18 years in prison.

The panel of judges stated that the three defendants were found guilty of premeditated murder of the victim Djie Goon Gunawan alias Acek as stated by the Public Prosecutor in Article 340 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.

"Declare that the defendants committed premeditated murder," said Judge Denny L Tobing in a virtual trial in the Cakra IX room of the Medan District Court, Wednesday, October 13.

On this decision the Public Prosecutor Fransisca and the three defendants expressed their thoughts. Meanwhile, responding to this decision, Shelly, the victim's daughter, said she was not satisfied with the judge's decision. According to him, this decision is not commensurate with the actions of the perpetrators who killed his father.

"Not satisfied. It should be for the rest of your life, it's proven to be planning and found guilty. That's why we expect the prosecutor to appeal," said Shelly.

Previously, in the trial on the indictment agenda, it was revealed that the defendant Faonasekhi Zamago still had time to pretend to buy cigarettes before he and two of his friends finally killed the victim.

The prosecutor said that the incident that occurred in March began when the defendant Faonasekhi Zamago with Bezisokhi Zalukhu and Aperseven Zalukhu (separate prosecution) were talking in the boarding house they lived in on Jalan Merbabu, Kelurahan Pusat Pasar, Medan.

"Starting on Monday, March 1, 2021, the defendant Faonasekhi Zamago met with Bezisokhi Zalukhu and Aperseven Zalukhu in front of the boarding room located on the third floor by discussing that the defendant would be expelled from the boarding house because he did not pay the boarding fee for three months and was always billed by the victim Djie Goon. Gunawan, where the defendant has not received the money to pay the boarding fee," said the public prosecutor.

Apart from him, his friend Bezisokhu Zalukhu was also asked to pay the boarding fee. Knowing this, the defendant Faonasekhi Zamago invited his two friends to plan a murder by beating the victim.

"They planned it, because they were not able to pay the boarding fees," explained the Prosecutor.

The prosecutor continued, the defendants then planned to kill the victim, so that on March 7, 2021 at around 22.00 WIB, the defendant Faonasekhi Zamago began to carry out the plan that had been agreed upon by his two friends.

He then went to the victim's room which was on the first floor to pretend to buy three sticks. However, when the victim handed over the cigarette, the defendant kicked the victim in the back as he went back to his room.

When the victim fell face down, the defendant took the stone that was in front of the bathroom door and hit the victim on the back of the head.

Seeing the victim's blood splattered and still able to move, the defendant then dragged the victim to the bed in a supine position.

After the situation was safe, the defendant went up to the third floor to call his two friends. The defendant informed that their first plan had been successful. Then they went down to the 1st floor, to the victim's room.

"When the victim's position was still on the bed in a supine position and his head was bleeding and could still speak and move, seeing the condition of the victim then Aperseven Zalukhu immediately grabbed the victim's legs and the defendant Faonasekhi Zamago held the victim's hands with the victim's head above Defendant Faonasekhi Zamago's thigh to keep it from moving," said the public prosecutor.

Then, the defendant Bezisokhi Zalukhu climbed on the victim's stomach while hitting the victim's head and face repeatedly until his hands hurt.