Facts About Bandung Junior High Student Killed by Vocational High School Student at Former Kampung Gajah

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia – Police have arrested YA (16) and AP (17), who are suspected of murdering SMPN 26 Bandung student ZAAQ (14), whose body was found at the former Kampung Gajah site in West Bandung. YA is a vocational high school student from Garut. Police have revealed a number of facts.

Heartbreak Over Severed Friendship

Police said the motive for the murder was the suspect’s resentment after the victim ended their friendship. Cimahi Police Chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Niko N. Adi Putra said suspect YA (16) admitted to holding a grudge against the victim for ending a friendship that had lasted approximately three years.

“Based on preliminary examination results, the suspect admitted to being hurt because the victim ended their friendship,” he said, quoting Antara on Sunday (15/2).

He explained that suspect YA followed the victim to Bandung with the intention of killing him. YA was accompanied by AP (17), who has also been apprehended.

“The perpetrator traveled to Bandung to meet the victim. Based on his confession, there was already an intention to commit murder,” he said.

The police chief said the victim and perpetrator had previously been quite close, and their relationship was known to the victim’s family, as both had attended school in Garut before the victim transferred to Bandung.

“Their relationship was like that of siblings. Even though the victim had moved to Bandung, they still communicated,” he said.

According to him, the victim’s decision to end the friendship is believed to have been the primary trigger for the violent act that ultimately led to the victim’s death.

Suspects Arrested

Police successfully arrested the two murder suspects. Niko said the underage suspects were apprehended in Garut Regency.

“Regarding the discovery of the body at the former Kampung Gajah site, police have apprehended the perpetrators. Two of them are known to be minors and were arrested in Garut,” he said.

He explained that the Mobile Criminal Investigation Unit of the Cimahi Police arrested the two suspects, YA (16) and AP (17), in Banyuresmi Village, Garut Regency, on Saturday evening (14/2). He added that the suspects had previously fled to Tasikmalaya but then returned to Garut.

Currently, both are still undergoing examination to further investigate the motive for the murder of ZAAQ, a student at SMPN 26 Bandung.

Body Found After Being Reported Missing

Based on preliminary examination results, the murder took place on Monday afternoon (9/2) when the perpetrators deliberately traveled to see the victim in Bandung. Niko also explained there was a gap of several days before the victim’s body was discovered by a witness who was conducting a social media livestream on Friday evening.

“The victim was killed on Monday afternoon and the perpetrators deliberately came to Bandung. Then several days later, the victim’s body was found by a witness who was livestreaming on social media on Friday evening,” he added.

Previously, ZAAQ had been reported missing since January 9, 2026, and there were circulating reports that the victim had been kidnapped, but the investigation revealed that this information was fabricated by the perpetrators.

Kidnapping Claims Denied

Police stated that the victim’s phone had been in the possession of the perpetrators and was used to spread misleading information about the alleged kidnapping.

“The information about the victim being kidnapped was actually fabricated by the perpetrators. At that time, the victim’s phone was in the perpetrators’ possession. The point is, we are still investigating other aspects of the case,” he explained.