Police Examine Dozens Of Witnesses In A Ritual Case At Payangan Beach, Jember

Jember Police Chief, AKBP Hery Purnomo/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JEMBER - Jember Police investigators examined dozens of witnesses in a ritual case carried out by Padepokan Tunggal Jati Nusantara at Payangan Beach, Jember Regency, East Java.

"There are 13 witnesses who have been questioned, but it is likely that the number of witnesses being examined will continue to grow," said Jember Police Chief, AKBP Hery Purnomo, quoted by Antara, Monday, February 14.

According to him, the dozens of witnesses questioned were survivors, witnesses who knew what happened during ritual activities, officers who rescued victims, and members in the field.

"Nurhasan, who is the leader of the Tunggal Jati Nusantara Group, has not been questioned because he is still being treated at the Dr. Soebandi Hospital in Jember," he said.

AKBP Hery explained that the officers would ask for Nurhasan's statement after the doctor at the Dr. Soebandi Jember Hospital stated that his condition was healthy, but for the determination of the suspect's status, the results of the investigation and investigation by the Jember Police Satreskrim were still pending.

"Regarding whether there is a criminal element in Article 359 of the Criminal Code regarding negligence that caused the loss of people's lives, we are still clarifying the witnesses, we will determine them later in the case process," he said.

Currently, he continued, it is still in the investigation stage and if the criminal element is later fulfilled, then the status will be upgraded to an investigation into a ritual case at Payangan Beach, Jember.

The Sole Jati Nusantara group performs a ritual around Payangan Beach in the early hours of Sunday, February 12.

But unlucky they were hit by high waves causing 11 people to die and 12 survivors including the driver who was waiting above and did not participate in the ritual also survived.