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Sailor arrested in connection to murder of female journalist
The body of Juwita, who worked for digital news outlet Newsway, was found on the side of a road in Cempaka district at around 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Her motorcycle was discovered in the bushes just a few meters away.
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Three Indonesian Navy officers standing trial for car theft and the murder of a car rental owner (from left to right) Chief Seaman Bambang Apri Atmojo, First Sgt. Akbar Adli and First Sgt. Rafsin Hermawan, sit on March 10, 2025, during a hearing at the Jakarta Military Court in East Jakarta. The court found the three officers guilty, sentencing Bambang and Akbar to life in prison and Rafsin to four years, and ordering that the three defendants be dishonorably discharged from the Navy. (Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
T
he Balikpapan Naval Base's Military Police in East Kalimantan have arrested a navy sailor in connection with the alleged murder of Juwita, a 25-year-old journalist whose body was found in Banjarbaru, South Kalimantan, last week.
The sailor, identified only as First Seaman J, enlisted in the Indonesian Navy four years ago but was only stationed at the Balikpapan Naval Base last month, the base’s military police chief Maj. Ronald Ganap said.
“He has been detained and will undergo legal proceedings in accordance with the law. We are committed to conducting a thorough and transparent investigation,” Ronald said on Wednesday, as reported by Kompas.
“We offer our deepest condolences to the victim's family. We apologize for this tragedy and assure that if [J] is found to be guilty, he will face appropriate sanctions and just punishment in accordance with the law,” he added.
Ronald further stated that the military police at the Balikpapan Naval Base are collaborating with the Banjarbaru Police to solve the case, as the location of the alleged murder falls outside their jurisdiction.
He said that investigators are still in the process of gathering crucial evidence, including establishing the timeline of the alleged murder, examining the relationship between Juwita and J and uncovering potential motives for the crime.
He added that he could not release further details at this time, as the investigation is still in its early stages.
