Concerning Merger Of Trial Files By The AGO: A Guide To Understanding Rizieq Shihab's Three Cases

Rizieq Shihab (Source: Antara)

JAKARTA - The former high priest of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) is undergoing his first trial at the East Jakarta District Court. There are a number of interesting things related to this trial, including the files of Rizieq's case which were combined. This article brings together a number of facts that we know so far regarding the three cases of Rizieq Shihab. What is the chronology and the journey?

Junior Attorney General for General Crimes Fadil Zumhana from the Attorney General's Office (AGO) said he had asked the Supreme Court (MA) for permission to combine all files of Rizieq Shihab's case in the trial. Indeed, Rizieq is not only involved in one case. There are three cases.

First, the Petamburan crowd case, November 14, 2020. Afterwards, the police named Rizieq as a suspect in another crowd case in Megamendung, December 23, 2020. Third, Rizieq was also named a suspect in the swab test case at Ummi Hospital, Bogor, January 11.

[TASTE JOURNALISM: We Are In The Middle Of The Crowd Of Rizieq Shihab's Followers To Answer Why They Are So Loyal]

Chronology and course of the Rizieq Shihab case

The Rizieq Shihab case was initially handled by Polda Metro Jaya together with Polda West Java, before later being taken over by Bareskrim Polri. Three files of Rizieq Shihab's case were recorded as number 221 / Pid.B / 2021 / PN.Jkt.Tim; Number 225 / Pid.B / 2021 / PN.Jkt.Tim; and Number 226 / Pid.B / 2021 / PN.Jkt.Tim. From various sources, VOI summarizes the chronology and journey of the three cases that ensnared Rizieq Shihab.

The Petamburan case began with Rizieq Shihab's return to Indonesia on November 10, 2020. At that time, Rizieq Shihab, who had been detained for a long time in Saudi Arabia, was preparing for the Prophet's birthday as well as his daughter's marriage contract. The event was held at the FPI headquarters in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, November 14. 2020

The event provoked the crowds who came to explode. Health protocol is in the spotlight. After the event, to be precise on November 20, 2020, the Chairperson of the COVID-19 Task Force, Lt. Gen. Doni Monardo, announced the transmission of significant COVID-19 cases from the Rizieq event.

On Thursday, December 10, 2020, Rizieq Shihab was named a suspect in the crowd case in Petamburan. Rizieq Shihab is subject to Article 160 of the Criminal Code concerning Incitement and Article 216 of the Criminal Code concerning Not Obeying Government Appeals Regarding Crowds. The determination is made based on the title of the case concerning the Health Quarantine crime.

Saturday, December 12, 2020 Rizieq Shihab was arrested. The detention was immediately carried out after Rizieq Shihab was questioned with 84 questions for ten hours. Rizieq Shihab is being held in the detention center of the Jakarta Metro Police Narcotics Directorate. "We will detain the MRS suspect starting December 12, 2020, Tuesday for the next 20 days. So until December 31, 2020," said Head of Public Relations of the Indonesian Police, Inspector General Pol Argo Yuwono.

Rizieq's program in Petamburan (Source: Front TV)

Another case, in Mega Mendung, Bogor, West Java. At that time, after Friday prayers at Markaz Syariah Megamendung, Rizieq Shihab held a groundbreaking procession for the construction of a mosque at his Markaz Syariah Islamic Boarding School. This event also invited a crowd.

A number of people have been questioned by the police. Rizieq Shihab was later named the sole suspect in this case. According to the police, the determination of the suspect Rizieq Shihab in the Megamendung crowd case was based on a number of evidence, witness testimony and experts.

Investigators concluded that Rizieq Shihab was responsible for the crowd at Megamendung. Rizieq Shihab was also charged with Article 14 Paragraph (1) and Paragraph (2) of Law (UU) Number 4 of 1984 concerning Outbreaks of Infectious Diseases, Article 93 of Law 6/2018 concerning Health Quarantine, and Article 216 of the Criminal Code.

Rizieq Shihab after undergoing an examination at Polda Metro Jaya (Fauzan / Antara)

The third case was related to the swab test at Ummi Hospital, Bogor, West Java. In this case Rizieq Shihab was named a suspect along with two other people. The Determination of the suspect was announced by the Police Criminal Investigation Unit - which took over the case from Polda Metro Jaya and Polda West Java - on Monday, January 10. This case began on November 25, 2020.

At that time, Rizieq Shihab was reportedly treated at the UMMI Hospital. He is suspected of being exposed to COVID-19. On November 26, the President Director of UMMI Hospital Andi Tata announced the results of Rizieq Shihab's medical examination, which in essence was just exhaustion due to his busy activities after returning from Saudi Arabia. Andi Tata said the doctor had also conducted a screening. The result was that Rizieq was healthy.

However, it was said that the Ummi Hospital had not conducted a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) swab test for Rizieq Shihab, who was hospitalized with his wife. Andi Tata said the swab test was not carried out because Rizieq Shihab did not show any indication of COVID-19. Bogor Mayor Bima Arya then urged the Bogor Ummi Hospital to carry out a swab test on Rizieq. Bima wants the test results he will keep on that very day.

Rizieq Shihab then stated an objection letter to the request for publication of the results of the swab test. On the other hand, the Bogor City Government actually reported Andi Tata and the management of Ummi Hospital to the Bogor Police. The accusation was the incompatibility of the procedures for handling the COVID-19 referral hospital. The report was submitted on behalf of the Head of Bogor City Satpol PP Agustian Syah.

On November 29, 2020, it was reported that Rizieq was discharged from Ummi Hospital. He went out through the back door of the hospital. FPI Deputy General Secretary Aziz Yanuar refused to say that Rizieq Shihab was running away. According to him, Rizieq Shihab was allowed to return home from Ummi Hospital. Rizieq Shihab added that his departure from Ummi Hospital was done at his own request.

"I also went home at my own request because I felt very refreshed, Alhamdulillah. As long as all the examinations were good, I hope that in the future we will stay healthy," said Rizieq Shihab in a video circulating at that time.

On December 28, 2020, Bareskrim Polri conducted a case title for this case. After changing years, on January 7 the police summoned Andi Tata as a witness. He was asked for information regarding the case of efforts to block the swab test conducted by the COVID-19 Task Force on Rizieq Shihab.

Afterwards, on January 11, the police named Rizieq Shihab a suspect in the Ummi Hospital swab test case. Apart from Rizieq Shihab, Andi Tata and one of Rizieq Shihab's family on behalf of Hanif Alatas are also suspects.

BERNAS Others