Freeport contractor shot dead in Central Papua, body flown to Jakarta
Tembagapura Police Chief Firman said the body was transported from Timika to Jakarta on an Airfast aircraft on Thursday, escorted by criminal investigation officers from Tembagapura police and investigators from PT Freeport Indonesia.
“The victim will be buried in his hometown of Bandung, West Java,” Firman said when contacted from Timika on Thursday.
Simson died on Wednesday morning after being shot by unidentified attackers while traveling in an operational light vehicle with fleet number 4446 in the mining area.
The 48-year-old victim was reportedly struck by a bullet that entered through his right ear and exited through his left ear, according to preliminary police information.
Following the incident, police from the Amole task force, Mimika police, and Tembagapura police conducted a crime scene investigation at the former Grasberg open-pit mine on Thursday morning.
“The crime scene investigation was led directly by the Mimika police criminal investigation chief,” Firman said, adding that authorities are awaiting the results to clarify the circumstances of the shooting.
Police have not yet confirmed which group may be responsible for the attack.
However, Firman said the former Grasberg open-pit mining area has long been known as a transit route used by residents traveling between Intan Jaya, Ilaga and villages around Tembagapura.
The same route has also been used by armed criminal groups operating in the region, he said.
“They usually pass through that area when traveling from Intan Jaya or Ilaga, and they often return using the same route. Employees frequently see local residents passing through there,” he said.
In response to the shooting, Firman said Freeport’s management would likely request additional security forces to ensure safety for employees working around the former open-pit mine and nearby underground mining facilities.
Earlier, PT Freeport Indonesia expressed condolences over the death of Simson Mulia.
“Our entire Freeport Indonesia family deeply mourns the loss of our colleague Simson Mulia,” said Katri Krisnati, the company’s vice president for corporate communications, in a statement on Wednesday.
The company said it would continue coordinating with government security authorities to investigate the case.
“Safety and security for all employees and everyone in our operational areas remain our top priority,” Katri said.
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Translator: Evarianus S, Rahmad Nasution