Freed From Hanging Sentence For Murder Of Wife, Indonesian Citizen From Bantaeng Returned From Malaysia

Ical Samerin's repatriation process through PLBN Entikong. (Photo ANTARA/HO)

PONTIANAK - The head of the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching Yonny Tri Prayitno said his party helped repatriate Indonesian citizens on behalf of Ical Samerin (36), from Bantaeng Regency, South Sulawesi.

Ical escaped the death penalty and was acquitted of all charges at the Miri Court of Appeal, Sarawak.

"The person concerned was previously arrested by the Miri City police, Sarawak on May 2, 2017 on charges of killing an Indonesian citizen (who was recognized as his wife) under the threat of the death penalty," said Yonny Tri Prayitno in a written statement to Antara, Pontianak, Wednesday, September 7.

On May 20, 2020, a trial was held at the Miri High Court with a sentence of hanging to death.

"Then we from the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching, through our lawyers, filed an appeal to the Court of Appeal for Miri against the decision of the High Court," he said.

Then, on August 23, 2021, an appeal hearing was held at the Miri Court of Appeal, Sarawak.

"In this trial, the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia provided legal assistance and assistance through a lawyer appointed by us. With the support and defense efforts made by the lawyer, the Judge of the Court of Appeal decided Ical was innocent and acquitted of all charges," he said.

Then he continued, from the results of the trial, on August 27, 2021 the person concerned was handed over to the Immigresen Bekenu Depot, Sarawak for deportation to Indonesia.

On Tuesday, September 7 yesterday, he was brought to the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching by Immigresen Bekenu to arrange his travel documents. Previously, the person concerned had undergone a COVID-19 test at the Bekenu Detention Center with a negative result.

According to Yonny, while at the Indonesian Consulate General in Kuching, the Indonesian Consul General in Kuching facilitated the person concerned to communicate with his family in his place of origin, Bantaeng Regency, South Sulawesi.

The communication via telephone and video calls touched them because during the four years in prison he had never communicated directly with his family.

"Today, the person concerned was returned to Indonesia through the Entikong PLBN, Sanggau Regency, West Kalimantan. The repatriation process in question went smoothly. At the Entikong PLBN he was handed over by the Indonesian Consul General Kuching to the Indonesian Citizens/PMI Repatriation Task Force, and will then undergo the COVID-19 prevention process before being sent back to their country of origin," he said.