Criminologists Try To Analyze Inspector General Ferdy Sambo's Open Letter: Build A Narrative And Play With The Irony Of Being A Victim

Former Head of the National Police Propam Division Inspector General Ferdy Sambo (Antara-Laily Rahmawaty)

JAKARTA - Criminologist Reza Indragiri Amriel analyzed an open letter from the former Head of the Propam Police Inspector General Ferdy Sambo regarding the murder case of Brigadier Yosua Hutabarat or Brigadier J after being named a suspect.

In his view, Reza believes that Sambo is building a narrative of his actions that are triggered by external attributions. That is, what he did did not originate from his own desires, but from outside encouragement, namely the treatment -- claims Inspector General Ferdy Sambo -- from Brigadier J.

"Through external attribution, the defendant transferred much of his responsibility to another party. In this case, the other party is the party who later becomes the victim," Reza told VOI, Friday, August 12.

Seeing the contents of Sambo's letter, Reza caught that if there was no provocation from external parties, Sambo would not have done anything that would have resulted in the public's anger.

Reza also considered that Sambo was playing irony by positioning himself as a victim.

"From there it can be seen that behind the narrative about external attribution, the perpetrators of crimes, whoever it is, also play the irony of victimization. That is, how a perpetrator begins to shift himself into the position of a victim.

Then, what is the purpose of Sambo to build the narrative in the open letter?

Reza said that a person who was threatened with a serious crime like Sambo should have done everything that could be used to fight for his legal interests during the trial, including trying to get his sentence commuted.

"If pure acquittal is too unlikely, then at least the target is a reduced sentence. From the death penalty to a life sentence or even a sentence of twenty years in prison, as under Article 340 of the Criminal Code," he explained.

Open Letter from Inspector General Ferdy Sambo

The former Head of the Propam Police Division, Inspector General Ferdy Sambo, apologized to all parties for his alleged involvement in the murder case of Brigadier Yosua Hutabarat or Brigadier J.

Inspector General Sambo wrote the apology in an open letter. The expression of Inspector General Ferdy Sambo's heart, the husband of Putri Chandrawathi, was read by his attorney, Arman Hanis, at his private house on Jalan Saguling III, South Jakarta.

Apart from apologizing, the letter also stated that Inspector General Ferdy Sambo would be responsible for all his actions. He will follow the applicable legal process.

Inspector General Ferdy Sambo again emphasized that all his actions were purely based on what Brigadier J had done, which had hurt the dignity of his family.

The full contents of Inspector General Ferdy Sambo's open letter:

Allow me as a human being who cannot be separated from mistakes, sincerely apologize and apologize profusely, especially to my colleagues from the National Police and their families and the wider community who were affected by my actions that provided incorrect information and sparked a polemic in the vortex of the Duren Tiga case that befell family and I.

I will comply with every legal process that is currently underway and later in court I will be responsible for it.

I am the head of the family and it is purely my intention to maintain and protect the dignity and honor of the family that I love very much.

To the institution that I am proud of, the National Police, and in particular to the Chief of the Indonesian National Police, who I greatly respect, I apologize and in particular to my colleagues from the Police who have been directly affected by this case, I apologize.

Once again I apologize for the various interpretations and delivery of information that is dishonest and injures public trust in the Polri institution.

Allow me to be responsible for all the actions that I have done according to the applicable law.