Families Of Disappointed Victims Of The Defendant Of The Indonesian Navy In The Murder Case Of Banjarbaru Journalists In South Kalimantan

The defendant Classi Satu Jumran (central) was sentenced to life imprisonment in the trial of the murder of Juwita journalist at the Military Court (Dilmil) I-06 Banjarmasin, Banjarbaru City, South Kalimantan, Wednesday (4/6/2025). (ANTARA/Tumpal Andani Aritonang)

JAKARTA - The families of the victims of the murder of a journalist from Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan (Kalsel), Juwita (23), were disappointed because the soldiers of the Class One Indonesian Navy, Jumran, as the defendant, were not charged with the death penalty for their actions.

"The family always asks the Military Oditurat (Odmil) III-15 Banjarmasin to charge the defendant with a maximum sentence, because this is clearly a careful plan, but it turns out that it is only a life sentence," said the attorney for the victim's family, Muhamad Pazri, after a trial reading the charges at the Military Court I-06 Banjarmasin in Banjarbaru, Wednesday.

Based on the facts of the trial and the available evidence, Pazri assessed that the defendant deserves to be prosecuted maximally with the death penalty.

"Those who commit murder are state officials (military), civil society only if a case like this can be sentenced to a maximum sentence of death," he said.

Pazri emphasized that the victim's family was very disappointed with the demand because it was considered not optimal, especially in this trial there were no facts that could ease the sentence for the defendant's actions.

Moreover, he said, Komnas HAM and LPSK RI had given a number of recommendations and agreed that the defendant had committed premeditated murder of the victim.

Even before the agenda of today's prosecution, on Monday (2/6) the family had sent a letter to the Head of Banjarmasin Odmil containing a request that the defendant be prosecuted to the maximum with the death penalty.

According to him, in the judicial system in Indonesia, usually the judge's verdict is not much different from the demands during the trial, so the death penalty against the defendant Jumran in this case has a small chance.

However, the family still respects the Banjarmasin Odmil because it is entirely the authority of the institution in prosecuting the defendant who is a TNI soldier.

"We hope that the panel of judges can make wise decisions when reading the verdict later so that the victim's family gets justice in accordance with the defendant's actions," said Pazri.

Dalam agenda sidang ini, Odmil Banjarmasin menuntut oknum TNI AL Classi Satu Jumran, terdakwa pembunuhan terhadap jurnali asal Banjarbaru bernama Juwita (23), dengan pidana penjara seumur hidup.

"The sentence for life so that the defendant is imprisoned to death in a cell. Given the primary indictment of Article 340 of the Criminal Code is legally and convincingly proven. We ask the panel of judges to sentence the defendant to life," said Head of Odmil III-15 Banjarmasin Lt. Col. CHK Sunandi when reading the charges in the Antasari Courtroom, Military Court I-06 Banjarmasin in Banjarbaru, Wednesday, confiscated by Antara.

Sunandi emphasized that the defendant was intentionally and had planned to take the victim's life so that it was appropriate to be charged with life imprisonment and additional penalties so that the defendant Jumran was fired from the Indonesian Navy service.

"There is no justification for the defendant's actions and there is no reason to forgive his mistakes. So the defendant must be punished," said Sunandi.

The murder of a Juwita journalist took place on Jalan Trans Gunung Kupang, Cempaka Village, Cempaka District, Banjarbaru City on March 22, 2025.

The victim's body was found by residents lying on the side of the road at around 15.00 WITA with his motorbike which then appeared to be a single accident victim.

The victim works as a media journalist on a local network (online) in Banjarbaru and has pocketed a journalist competency test (UKW) with the qualifications of young journalists.

Residents who found it for the first time did not see any signs of the victim having a traffic accident.

On the victim's neck were several bruises, and relatives of the victim also said that Juwita's cellphone was not found at the location.