Family Of Journalists Who Died Burned Report One TNI Member To Puspomad

The attorney for the Rico Perfect family, Irfan Saputra (right) at Puspomad, Central Jakarta, Friday (12/7/2024). (ANTARA/Walda Marison)

JAKARTA - The Rico Perfect Pasaribu family, a journalist who was killed in a house fire incident in Medan, reported a member of the Indonesian Army, namely Koptu HB from the Simbisa Infantry Battalion 125 Kabanjahe to the Indonesian Army Military Police Center (Puspomad) in Gambir, Central Jakarta.

HB was reported to Puspomad because he was suspected of being one of the masterminds behind the killing of Rico and his family.

According to the attorney for the Rico family, Irfan Saputra, HB was reported several times by Rico because he was suspected of being involved in gambling activities within the TNI.

The news also spread, making HB ask the media where Rico worked to reduce the news.

"There were also conversations about the existence of telephones several times from what we reported, which allegedly were members of the TNI to their Pimred (Rico) to take down the previously carried out news," said Irfan Saputra as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, July 12.

Not only that, Rico also asked for protection several times from the police because he often received threats from individuals believed to be members of the TNI.

The threat is often accepted after Rico after reporting several times about HB's involvement in gambling activities.

Because of this evidence, Irfan and the victim's family ventured to report HB to Puspomad.

His party has submitted several pieces of evidence in the form of evidence of a social media application conversation between Rico and HB.

His party has also provided evidence of a conversation between HB and the media where Rico works regarding the request to reduce the news.

Irfan hopes that Puspomad will seriously investigate the report in order to reveal other suspects behind suspect B, RAS and YT who had previously been arrested.

Irfan said that his party had been received by the Puskomad but the agency had not yet given a statement to the media. Meanwhile, the victim's family was examined again after Friday prayers.

The media are still trying to confirm with Kadispenad about the reported members of the Indonesian Army.

The North Sumatra Police have again named a new suspect suspected of being involved in the burning of the Rico Perfect Pasaribu house on Nagung Surbakti Street, Karo Regency.

"We have named B as a new suspect in the case of the burning of Rico Perfect Pasaribu's house," said Head of Public Relations of the North Sumatra Police, Kombes Hadi Wahyudi in Medan, Thursday (11/7).

Hadi said B was arrested in Karo Regency after officers arrested the executors of the burning of the victim's house, namely RAS on Saturday (6/7) and YT, Sunday (7/7).

The suspect B ordered the other two perpetrators to burn the house of the victim Rico Perfect Pasaribu

"Suspect B ordered YT to burn, and gave Rp130 thousand to RAS to buy Pertalite oil and diesel used to burn the victim's house," said Hadi.

RAS is preparing by motorbike. After the fire started, the two perpetrators fled and threw away a bottle of used fuel oil (BBM) about 30 meters from the scene.

"This arson was recorded very clearly from the analysis of surveillance cameras or CCTV around the victim's house. Perfect Pasaribu," he said.

The fire incident resulted in four fatalities, namely Rico Perfect Pasaribu, Effrida Boru Ginting (wife), Sudiinveseti Pasaribu (child), and Lowi Situngkir (grandson) in the early hours of Thursday (27/6).