2 Indian Men Defendant Of Persecution In Denpasar Sentenced To 7.5 Years In Prison

Two Indian citizens Gurmej Singh (21) and Ajaypal Singh (21) walked at the Denpasar District Court, Bali, Thursday (25/1/2024) ANTARA/Rolandus Nampu

DENPASAR - Denpasar District Court judges sentenced two foreign nationals from India, Gurmedj Singh (21) and Ajaypal Singh (21), to prison for 7 years and 6 months, resulting in the death of the victim.

Chief Judge I Putu Agus Adi Antar stated that the two defendants of Indian foreigners were legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing a criminal act of persecution which resulted in the death of the victim Fitra Robby Firdaus.

The incident took place at the victim's house, Jalan Tukad Bilok, Sanur Kauh, South Denpasar, Bali, on May 13, 2023.

The two defendants were charged with Article 351 Paragraph (3) of the Criminal Code (KUHP).

"The trial, sentenced the defendant to imprisonment for seven years and six months reduced while the defendant was in detention," said the judge as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, January 25.

The verdict was much lighter than the demands of Public Prosecutor I Made Lovi Pusnawanyang at the trial on December 12, 2023, demanding that the two defendants be sentenced to 15 years in prison each.

The prosecutor stated that the two defendants violated Article 338 of the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code and Article 351 Paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code as in the first primary indictment and the second subsidiary indictment.

However, in its decision, the panel of judges disagreed with the prosecutor by not including Article 338 of the Criminal Code regarding the crime of murder.

Regarding the decision, the two defendants expressed their thoughts. Likewise, the prosecutor still needs time to appeal or not to declare the verdict.

The incident that led to death occurred on Saturday, May 13, 2023, when the two defendants played cards at the house of victim Fitra Robby Firdaus in Tukad Bilok, Gang Banteng Number 3, Sanur Kauh, South Denpasar District, Denpasar, Bali.

The incident occurred due to an understanding between the victim and the perpetrator. The victim as the owner of the house was abused by the two perpetrators until she died. One Indian foreigner on behalf of Sheen (40) also suffered injuries in the incident.

Initially, the two perpetrators and victims, including the survivors of India, first met and became acquainted on May 10, 2023 when the two perpetrators had just arrived in Bali via I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport.

When he first met, victim Fitran Robby in good faith invited the two perpetrators to stay at his house. It was the first time the two perpetrators had set foot in Bali to accept the good offer.

Three days later there was a misunderstanding between the two perpetrators and the victim which led to acts of persecution.

The two perpetrators had tried to break down through the back door of the house to I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to return to their country. Both have booked plane tickets through their brothers in India.

However, the two perpetrators were arrested by the police at the international departure terminal at I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport and immediately taken to the Denpasar Police Station for processing.