Prosecutors plan to appeal the Surabaya District Court's acquittal of two police officers in connection with the stampede and crush that led to the deaths of 135 people at Kanjuruhan Stadium last October, one of the deadliest stadium disasters in the sport.
rosecutors with the Attorney General's Office (AGO) will appeal against a lower court’s acquittal of two police officers for their involvement in one of the world's deadliest soccer tragedies at Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java.
The Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster occurred on Oct. 1, 2022, when 135 people were killed in a stampede and crush that resulted following a match between home team Arema FC and archrival Persebaya Surabaya.
The Surabaya District Court ruled in two separate trials on Thursday that former officers of the Malang Police, Adj. Comr. Bambang Sidik Achmadi and Comr. Wahyu Setyo Pranoto, were not guilty and cleared them of all charges.
Bambang was accused of ordering his subordinates to launch tear gas at Kanjuruhan Stadium, which subsequently caused a stampede, and Wahyu of ignoring the FIFA regulation prohibiting the use of tear gas at a soccer match.
The prosecutors are planning to lodge their appeal with the Supreme Court sometime before the 14-day deadline.
“We, according to the law, have seven days [after the verdict] to file a notice of appeal and 14 days to submit our arguments with the court of cassation,” AGO spokesperson Ketut Sumedana told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Read also: Activists slam lenient verdicts over Kanjuruhan Stadium soccer crush
Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.
Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.