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Supreme Court finds two ex-police officers guilty in Kanjuruhan tragedy
The court sentenced former Malang Police officers Adj. Comr Bambang Sidik Achmadi and Comr. Wahyu Setyo Pranoto to two and 2.5 years behind bars, respectively, for negligence in carrying out duty that caused 135 death at Kanjuruhan Stadium.
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This picture taken on Oct. 1, 2022 shows tear gas released by police among people crowded in the stands after a soccer match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya at the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, East Java. (AFP/STR)
T
he Supreme Court has overturned a lower court’s acquittal of two former police officers charged with negligence over last year’s Kanjuruhan Stadium soccer crush in Malang, East Java, and sentenced them to prison after ruling in favor of prosecutors who had appealed.
The bench, presided over by Justice Surya Jaya, found two former Malang Police officers, Adj. Comr. Bambang Sidik Achmadi and Comr. Wahyu Setyo Pranoto, guilty of negligence in carrying out their duties leading to the death of 135 spectators, with more than 700 injured.
Bambang allegedly ordered his subordinates to fire tear gas on the supporters after they invaded the pitch following the 3-2 defeat of Arema FC by local rivals Persebaya Suarabaya. Meanwhile, prosecutors accused Wahyu of ignored FIFA’s regulation prohibiting the use of tear gas at a soccer match.
The Supreme Court sentenced Bambang to two years in prison, while Wahyu got a two-and-a-half-year sentence. The sentence was lower than that demanded by prosecutors of three years behind bars.
Both officers were previously acquitted of all charges by a panel of judges at the Surabaya District Court in East Java.
Read also: Anger as Surabaya court acquits two police over Kanjuruhan crush
The Kanjuruhan incident, which occurred on Oct. 1 last year, was deemed one of the world’s deadliest stadium disasters.
