Seeing The Stiff And Weak Body, Colonel Priyanto Thought The Male Collision Victim In Nagrek Was Dead

TNI middle officer Colonel Infantry Priyanto when giving testimony as a defendant (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - TNI middle-ranking officer Colonel Infantry Priyanto, a defendant in the case of the murder of two civilian teenagers in Nagreg, West Java, stated that he and two of his subordinates thought the male victim had died because he could not be seen moving.

"We (Colonel Priyanto, Second Corporal Andreas Dwi Atmoko, and First Corporal Ahmad Sholeh) when lifting the victim into the car really didn't see him moving. His body was weak, stiff, like lifting a sack. In our opinion, visually he was dead," said Colonel Priyanto in the trial with the agenda of examining the defendant at the High Military Court II Jakarta, East Jakarta, Antara, Thursday, April 7.

This statement, said Chief Justice Brigadier General Faridah Faisal, contradicts the statement of the expert, namely the forensic doctor, dr. Muhammad Zaenuri Syamsu Hidayat, who confirmed that the male victim, Handi Saputra, was thrown into the Serayu River, Banyumas, Central Java, alive.

Zaenuri, who was presented by the Jakarta High Military Oditurat II, last Thursday as an expert at the trial, explained that water was only found in the victim's lungs, but not in the stomach.

"That is, the victim was thrown into the river unconscious, but still alive," said Zaenuri.

The forensic doctor who autopsied Handi's body said that if the victim was conscious, water was found in the stomach and lungs. However, if the victim is unconscious, water is only found in the lungs.

Another condition, said Zaenuri, is that if the victim is dead, water is not found in the two organs.

Thus, Handi Saputra's autopsy results showed that the victim was thrown into the Serayu River in an unconscious state and eventually drowned after water filled his lungs.

However, Colonel Priyanto insisted that he and his two subordinates thought that the two victims, especially Handi Saputra, were dead. Therefore, he and his men threw Handi's body into a tributary of the Serayu River.

"We did not see the victim moving and breathing," said Colonel Priyanto.

Furthermore, the High Military Prosecutor, Colonel Sus Wirdel Boy, said that the trial for reading the charges would be held at the Jakarta Military High Court II, East Jakarta, Thursday, April 21.

Responding to Colonel Priyanto's statement, the High Military Prosecutor Colonel Sus Wirdel Boy as the public prosecutor during the trial said that citizens who do not have expertise are not allowed to make decisions regarding whether a person is alive or dead.

"In the case of an accident victim, it is the doctor who determines whether or not the victim dies. So, what the defendant did was not under his authority," said Colonel Sus Wirdel Boy.