Deer hunting case with firearms in Komodo National Park ready for trial
Kupang (ANTARA) - The Forestry Law Enforcement Unit (Gakkum) for the Java, Bali, and Nusa Tenggara Region (Jabalnusra) states that the case file for the deer hunting incident in Komodo National Park involving suspects AB, AD, and YA is complete (P-21) and ready to be handed over for the prosecution stage.
Head of the Jabalnusra Forestry Gakkum Unit, Aswin Bangun, in his statement in Kupang on Tuesday, emphasised that this is not an ordinary poaching case but a serious crime because it involves firearms and endangers the safety of officers.
“This case is a serious crime because it uses firearms,” he said.
He explained that the P-21 certainty for the case files refers to the West Manggarai District Prosecutor’s Office Letter Number B-5453/N.3.24/Eku.1/04/2026 dated 1 April 2026, which indicates that the case meets both formal and material requirements for trial.
Aswin added that although the three perpetrators will be tried, the case will continue. The search for the other five suspects listed as wanted persons (DPO) is still ongoing by security apparatus.
“The handling of this case is being carried out seriously and comprehensively. It does not stop at the three suspects; the five other perpetrators who are DPOs are still being pursued,” he stated.
According to Aswin, the suspects are charged under criminal provisions in the field of conservation of biological natural resources as well as illegal possession of firearms. They face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rp5 billion.
Meanwhile, Director General of Forestry Law Enforcement, Dwi Januanto Nugroho, stated that deer hunting in Komodo National Park not only violates the law but also threatens the balance of the conservation area’s ecosystem, which holds UNESCO World Heritage Site status.
He explained that the Timor deer is an important part of the Komodo dragon’s food chain, so poaching has the potential to disrupt the overall ecological balance.
“If poaching is allowed to continue, it will not only affect one species but the entire ecosystem structure that supports Komodo life,” he said.
The government reaffirms its commitment to strictly cracking down on poaching in conservation areas and ensuring protection for key wildlife to maintain the sustainability of the ecosystem and the global value of Komodo National Park.
This case originated from a joint operation by the Jabalnusra Forestry Gakkum Unit with Polri in the Laju Pemali area, Komodo Island, in the early hours of 14 December 2025. Officers found a motorboat suspected to have been used by the poachers.
When attempting to stop them, the perpetrators fled and ignored the officers’ warnings. In fact, the perpetrators fired shots at the officers, leading to a shootout in the Sape Strait waters. During the operation, three individuals were successfully apprehended.
From the subsequent investigation, officers seized several pieces of evidence, including 10 bullet casings, eight live rounds of 5.56 mm calibre, one deer, one homemade firearm along with its magazine, a knife, a headlamp, a mobile phone, and the wooden boat used by the perpetrators.
Investigators have designated the three suspects as field perpetrators, while the five other perpetrators who escaped are listed as DPOs and are still being pursued.