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AGO not to appeal police shooter’s verdict
The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) would not be appealing the verdict of Second Agent Richard Eliezer, who participated but also helped expose the murder plot of Brig. Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat in Jakarta last year.
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Second Agent (Bharada) Richard Eliezer (center), also known as Bharada E, arrives at the South Jakarta District Court on Feb. 15 to stand trial for the premeditated murder of Brig. Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, a colleague in the National Police. Richard was handed an 18-month prison sentence by judges for his role in exposing the murder plot, despite being found guilty of abetting it. (Antara/Reno Esnir)
T
he Attorney General’s Office (AGO) announced on Thursday that it would not lodge an appeal against the lenient verdict of Second Agent Richard Eliezer, who participated but also helped expose the murder plot of Brig. Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat in Jakarta last year.
Public prosecutors deemed that justice had been served, after the family of the victim expressed their forgiveness.
Assistant Attorney General for general crimes (Jampidum) Fadil Zumhana said the AGO had considered that the victim’s family had forgiven Richard’s transgression and expressed acceptance of his 18-month prison sentence.
“This is one of our considerations to not file an appeal in this case,” Fadil said in a press conference at AGO headquarters in South Jakarta.
On Wednesday, the South Jakarta District Court sentenced Richard, who was guilty of injuring Yosua at the order of their commanding officer, former National Police internal affairs chief Ferdy Sambo, to 18 months, a fraction of the 12 years sought by prosecutors.
Despite having shot the victim and getting involved in the murder plot, Judge Alimin Sujono said Richard got the lesser sentence for agreeing to cooperate with authorities as a justice collaborator to shed light on the case.
Fadil said the verdict meant the bench had accepted the prosecutors’ arguments despite giving a lighter sentence, which he considers a common legal practice.
“Richard Eliezer has also been honest and cooperative from the start. He has given an example for a law enforcer that is willing to reveal a criminal act,” Fadil said.
Read also: Reprieve as cop shooter gets lenient sentenceIn addition, Richard’s legal team would not be filing an appeal, which makes the court ruling final and binding.
Meanwhile, disgraced former police chief Ferdy was sentenced to death by the same court on Monday. The bench found him guilty of masterminding the murder plot and tampering with evidence in an attempt to orchestrate a cover-up.
Ferdy’s wife Putri Candrawathi was handed a 20-year prison sentence, while two other accomplices, driver Kuat Ma’ruf and adjutant Brig. Ricky Rizal, got 15 and 13 years, respectively.
AGO spokesperson Ketut Sumedana said prosecutors would continue to study Ferdy’s case while awaiting any further “efforts pursued by the defendant and his lawyer.”
A spokesperson for the South Jakarta District Court, Djuyamto, told Kompas.com on Thursday that Ferdy, Putri, Kuat and Ricky have filed an appeal on the judges’ ruling.
Assistant attorney general Fadil noted that Ferdy had the right to appeal, seek an annulment of the verdict or a retrial and seek clemency from the president.
