S

ome 20 armed men ransacked the Cebongan Penitentiary in Sleman, Yogyakarta, on Saturday at around 12:30 a.m., killing four detainees who were suspects in the murder case of a former member of the Army’s Special Forces (Kopassus).

The inmates were Hendrik Angel Sahetapi, Adrianus Candra Galaga, Yohanes Juan Mambait and Gamaliel Yermiayanto Rohi Riwu. They were arrested and charged with killing First Sgt. Heru Santoso, a former Kopassus soldier from Kandang Menjangan, Kartasura, Central Java, at a café in Yogyakarta on March 19. Santoso died after being stabbed with a broken bottle.

The prison’s chief warden, B. Sukamto Harto, said eight officers had been on guard when the attack occurred. Seven of them were injured, two seriously, during the incident, which lasted about 15 minutes.

The gunmen, he said, told the prison officers that they were personnel with the Yogyakarta Police, and that they wanted to see the four inmates who had only been transferred by Yogyakarta Police officers on Friday afternoon. “They brought with them a letter with a Yogyakarta Police letterhead,” Sukamto said.

Suddenly, the armed men, who were wearing masks and were not in uniform, forced their way into the penitentiary. A moment later, other members of the armed group emerged from the dark prison yard.

The gunmen then forced the prison officers to take them to the cell holding the four inmates allegedly involved in Santoso’s death. One officer who refused to cooperate was beaten up.

They also threatened other inmates by firing their guns at their bunks, demanding they be shown the cell. Once they found the cell in block A, the gunmen killed their four targets.

A video recording taken on a smartphone showed that the four inmates died from gunshot wounds to their heads.

Sukamto added that the police often transferred detainees to the facility, as was the case with the 11 inmates that they had received from the Yogyakarta Police on Friday.

“It crossed my mind as to why those four suspects were also transferred to the prison. I did ask the Yogyakarta Police, but I did not receive a clear answer,” Sukamto said.

He then asked for additional security personnel from the police and a local military command, but could not say for sure whether that request had been fulfilled. “I had actually planned to return the four to the Yogyakarta Police this Saturday,” he said.

Yogyakarta Police chief Brig. Gen. Sabar Rahardjo said the transfer was carried out as the detention center had a damaged ceiling and police feared the detainees may try to escape if they were kept there.

“Yogyakarta Police officers would never visit the prison at night to remove a detainee,” Sabar said.

Another bloody incident involving the police took place at Barumun Tengah Police precinct in Padang Lawas, North Sumatra, when eight residents were shot during a clash with the police on Saturday morning. A resident reportedly died on the way to Adam Malik Hospital in Medan. The seven other victims are being treated at Padang Sidempuan Hospital.

Leading local figure Erwin Pane said that the incident started when residents came to the precinct at around 7 a.m.

The villagers were demanding the police release neighbors arrested in a land dispute in Aek Nabara.

Tapanuli Selatan Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Abdul Rizal A. Engahu confirmed the shooting, saying hundreds of local had attacked the station. The police fired warning shots but the assailants ignored them.

“We have followed the procedures. We could not just let 300 people carrying weapons attack the Barumun Tengah Police station,” said Rizal, adding that the attackers also took the Barumun Tengah Police chief hostage and damaged the station before the police fired the warning shots.

Rizal acknowledged that some residents were injured during the incident, but firmly denied that there were any casualties reported.