Military Prosecutor Delays Reading Indictment in Andrie Yunus Pepper-Spray Case, Proposes Additional Witnesses from RSCM

JAKARTA — Military Prosecutor II-07 Jakarta did not immediately read the indictment against the defendant in the case of dousing with caustic liquid on the Deputy Coordinator of KontraS, Andrie Yunus, at a hearing held on Wednesday, 20 May 2026. The agenda for reading the indictment had initially proceeded as planned in the courtroom.

Chairman of the Panel of Judges, Colonel Chk Fredy Ferdian Isnartanto, first confirmed the prosecutor’s readiness to read the indictment. However, the prosecutor stated that additional evidence was still required before the indictment could be read.

‘Yes, with Your Honour. Indeed, today is supposed to be the day for reading the indictment. However, we do require an additional piece of evidence, specifically for proving the charges,’ replied Military Prosecutor II-07 Jakarta.

‘So you will be presenting additional witnesses again?’ asked the judge.

‘Yes, today we are submitting two additional witnesses from RSCM,’ replied the prosecutor.

The prosecutor explained that the two witnesses are an ophthalmologist and a plastic surgeon from the Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) who treated the victim after the caustic spray incident.

‘Counsel, please respond—do you object or not (to the examination of the additional witnesses)?’ asked the judge.

The defence counsel said they did not object to the prosecutor’s request.

‘Very well, thank you, Your Honour. In respect of the prosecutor’s request—where today would ordinarily be the indictment reading—but since there is information to be provided by the prosecutor in the form of additional witnesses, the defence is not opposed to establishing the truth,’ replied the defence counsel.

The four defendants are Sergeant Second Edi Sudarko, Lieutenant (Lettu) Budhi Hariyanto Widhi, Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetya, and Lieutenant Sami Lakka.

In the indictment, the motive of the defendants is said to have been triggered by a sense of insult towards Andrie Yunus who interrupted at the Fairmont Jakarta hotel on 16 March 2025.

The defendants are charged with multiple counts: Article 469(1) of the Criminal Code as the primary indictment, Article 468(1) as subsider, and Articles 467(1) and (2) as more subsider, in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023.