Selling Weapons And Ammunition To Papua, 2 Police In Ambon Sentenced To 10 Years In Prison

Police documentation shows that 6 defendants were involved in the sale of long-barreled firearms and hundreds of bullets to Papua (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Two police officers who served at the Ambon Island and Lease Islands Police, San Herman Palijama (34) and Muhammad Romi Arwanpitu (38) were sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Public Prosecutor (JPU). Both of them were involved in the case of selling weapons and ammunition to Papua.

"Asking the panel of judges who examined and tried this case to declare the two defendants guilty of violating Article 1 paragraph (1) of the Emergency Law Number 12/1951 concerning amending Ordonnantie Tijdelikke Bijzondere Strafbepalingen (STBL 1948 No 17) in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st KUHP Article 338 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1 of the Criminal Code, "said the prosecutor of the Ambon District Prosecutor's Office, Eko Nugroho in Ambon as quoted from Antara, Wednesday, May 19.

The prosecutor's demands were conveyed in a trial chaired by the chairman of the panel of judges at the Ambon District Court, Surely Tarigan, and accompanied by two member judges. During the trial, the prosecutor also charged four other defendants who were civilians and were involved in various cases of selling weapons and ammunition.

The defendant Sahrul Nurdin (39) was sentenced to 12 years in prison, while Ridwan Mohsen Tahalua (44), Handri Morsalim (43) and Andi Tanan (50) were sentenced to eight years in prison.

The six defendants were found guilty of committing criminal acts jointly accepting, surrendering, carrying, controlling, storing, hiding, using firearms and ammunition without rights as regulated and subject to criminal penalties in article 1 paragraph (1) of the Emergency Law Number 12/1951. .

There was also something incriminating for the defendants to be charged with imprisonment because their actions were disturbing to the community, and these weapons and ammunition were used to undermine the state.

Then the defendant Sahrul Nurdin was convicted and became the main perpetrator of the circulation of the gun.

Furthermore, San Herman Palijama, a police officer, has sold rifles twice to Papua, while Muhammad Romi Arwanpitu, who is also a police officer, has been convicted of a narcotics case.

Meanwhile, what made it easier was that the defendants behaved politely in court and admitted all their actions.

The prosecutor stated in his indictment that the actions of the defendants occurred since 2020 and 2021 in several places, namely the Batu Merah Village motorcycle taxi base, the Arombai Mardika Market, the Mardika Market in Ambon, under Jembatan Merah Putih, and the Kapaha area, Sirimau District, Ambon.

At that time, the defendants together with Welem Taruk (the defendant in a separate case file filed for separate prosecution / splitching) and Atto Murib (DPO) committed or participated deliberately receiving, surrendering, carrying, controlling, storing, hiding, using firearms. and ammunition without rights.

The incident began when Murib, who is the owner of a gold mine in km 54 Nabire Regency, Papua Province, got acquainted and asked Taruk, who came from Ambon to look for firearms and ammunition to buy.

Murib asked for firearms and ammunition in Ambon because Ambon was an area that was formerly a riot or conflict.

Upon this request, Taruk later became acquainted with the defendant Sam, a police officer, to ask him for homemade weapons.

Hearing Taruk's request, Sam then said he would look for homemade firearms. He then contacted Iwan Touhuns, a resident of Rumahkay who is still a DPO to search for homemade weapons.

"Iwan Touhuns told Defendant 2 (Sam) that he would check with his brother-in-law first and if there was, he would contact Defendant 2," said the public prosecutor.

In October 2020, Iwan contacted Sam because there was a homemade SS-1 firearm (state tool organic weapon) that could be purchased for IDR 8 million. Knowing this, Sam then went to Kai's Home Village to see the individual assault weapon.

After confirming that the weapon was there and functioning, Sam immediately contacted Taruk to inform him that he had received a homemade firearm worth Rp. 20 million.

The next day, Toruk arrived in a black Avansa Veloz. He was waiting for Sam. Sam then handed over a homemade firearm after Toruk gave him Rp. 20 million. After selling a homemade firearm to Toruk, Sam returns to Kai's Home Village to pay the price of the weapon that was purchased from Iwan for Rp. 8 million.

"In December 2020, the two defendants again received information from Iwan that there were homemade weapons that were to be sold for Rp. 6 million," added Eko.

Receiving this information, Sam immediately contacted Taruk.He returned to say that the firearms that were obtained had the same price, namely Rp. 20 million. "At that time, Welem immediately transferred to Defendant 2's account," he explained.

After getting the money, Sam leaves for Kai's Home Village to meet Iwan. He then handed over Rp. 6 million. Iwan then went to get his weapon in Kamariang Village.

Iwan returned carrying a homemade SS1 firearm and handed over to Defendant II. Then he took the weapon to his house in Pia Village, Saparua then in January 2021 Welem came to pick it up, and carried the weapon via the Seram route (using a ferry) to Papua.

Furthermore, he said, in August 2020 at the Ojek Lorgi base in Batu Merah Village, Sirimau Subdistrict, Ambon, the defendant Muhammad Romi Arwanpitu, a police officer, previously received a gun from witness Amirudin Lessy, an unscrupulous member of the Indonesian Air Force (military criminal proceedings).

After getting the gun, Romi then met the defendant Ridwan Mohsen Tahalua. Romi whispers in Ridwan's ear if there are firearms, and offers to sell them.

"There are weapons, can you sell this? (While the defendant Romi lifted his shirt and showed the gun that was tucked into his waist)," said the prosecutor.

Seeing the gun beside Romi's waist, Ridwan then admitted that he would sell it. Romi, who admitted that the gun was a former humanitarian conflict, then asked to sell it for Rp. 5 million.

"The pistol was then taken to Arumbai Market to be offered to Sahrul Nurdin (defendant I)," he explained.

Sahrul bought the pistol for Rp. 5 million which was handed over in stages. The money was then given to Romi, the unscrupulous member of the Ambon Police.

Furthermore, said Eko, in early 2020 Handri Morsalim (Defendant V) had a homemade short-barrel firearm along with an ammunition that previously belonged to his in-laws.

Handri again met the defendant Sahrul at Mardika Market. He said he had a firearm. Sahrul then went to Handri's house to buy a short-barreled firearm and a box full of ammunition for Rp1 million.

Then in November 2020 Andi Tanan (defendant VI), who was friendly with Welem Taruk (DPO), then looked for witness Milton Sialeky, an unscrupulous member of the Indonesian Army (processed military crime).

For the first one is the purchase of 100 bullets of caliber 5.56 in around November 2020, located under the Red and White Bridge at a price of IDR 500,000.

The second purchase, also occurred in November 2020 or one week later from the first purchase, the second purchase took place in front of the Toking car rental, where at that time witness Milton Sialeky sold 100 bullets of 5.56 caliber for Rp500,000 to Defendant VI.

For the third purchase, which took place around January 2021, it took place in front of the Pentecostal church at Lampu Lima, Sirimau Subdistrict, Ambon City at around 23.00 WIB, at which time Milton sold 400 bullets of 5.56 mm caliber to Defendant VI for Rp1 million.

Defendant VI bought the ammunition from Milton using the money sent by Atto Murib. Then the defendant 6 met Welem Taruk to meet in front of the Pentecostal Church around January 2021 at 22.00 Wit according to Atto Murid's orders to take the ammunition. Welem came to Defendant 6 and took the ammunition to be taken away.

When arrested, Welem Taruk was caught carrying evidence including one original short Iaras revolver, seven 0.38 caliber bullets, 600 5.56 mm caliber bullets, long Iaras firearms and a magazine.