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Calls grow for investigation into death of South Kalimantan journalist
The Banjarbaru chapters of leading press associations have called on the police to thoroughly investigate a "single-vehicle crash" that allegedly led to the death of a 25 year-old female journalist, including the possibility of foul play.
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Press ID cards belonging to Malang journalists are placed in front of a card and incense on May 3, 2023, during a public rally in the East Java city’s central square to mark World Press Freedom Day. (JP/Nedi Putra)
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ress associations have called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the sudden death of journalist Juwita, including exploring the possibility of foul play.
The body of Juwita, a 25-year-old reporter of digital news outlet Newsway based in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, was found on the side of a road in Cempaka district at around 4 p.m. on Saturday. Her motorcycle was discovered in the bushes just a few meters away.
Banjarmasin coordinator of the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), Rendy Tisna, said the preliminary investigation pointed to a single-vehicle crash as the cause of Juwita's death, but suspicions rose later that she could have been the victim of a violent mugging due to the unusual circumstances surrounding her death.
“She was found lying on her back on the side of the road with her helmet still on. She only had an injury to her chin and bruises on the back of her neck and torso,” Rendy said on Tuesday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
“Her personal belongings, such as her wallet and her mobile phones, were missing from the scene,” he added.
Rendy urged law enforcement to take the case seriously and keep the public informed about the investigation’s progress. He also called on the police to explore all possible scenarios, including foul play.
“Don’t rush to conclusions before strong evidence is available. All signs of criminal activity must be investigated thoroughly, so the case can be resolved clearly without fueling public speculation,” he said.
