Motive Behind Assault on Mirror Trader in Pejompongan Revealed, Three Suspects Arrested
The Jakarta Metropolitan Police have uncovered the motive behind the mob assault that resulted in the death of mirror trader Bambang Setiyawan (59) during unrest in the Pejompongan area, Central Jakarta, on Thursday (27/8). The three suspects currently in custody admitted they were provoked by emotions because their livelihoods were disrupted by the chaotic situation at the location.
Director of General Criminal Investigation of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Kombes Iman Imanuddin, explained that the perpetrators felt disturbed while passing through the incident area. “Based on the results of the investigation, the perpetrators felt disturbed by the events occurring as they were passing through together,” Iman stated during a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday (12/9).
The three suspects, identified by the initials FP (23), DS (33), and DDS (29), are known to be daily casual labourers. The police emphasised that they were not part of an organised group, but rather citizens who happened to be at the location for work and subsequently became involved in the riot.
The arrest of the suspects was carried out in the Babakan Madang area, Bogor Regency, West Java. This success was the result of a scientific crime investigation, where investigators matched fingerprints found on evidence at the crime scene with the identities of the perpetrators.
“We ensured whether the fingerprints found at the crime scene, such as on wood, stones, plates, and glasses, synchronised with the suspected perpetrators. While they were in the Babante Madang area, we obtained additional data regarding the certainty of that synchronisation and proceeded immediately with the arrests,” Iman added.
Previously, the police had released facial sketches of the suspected perpetrators to accelerate the search process. The victim, Bambang Setiyawan, was reported to have passed away after leaving his home when the unrest broke out at night in late August.
Currently, the three suspects are being held at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police detention centre. They face charges under Article 262 paragraph (3) or (4) and Article 466 paragraph (2) and (3) of Law Number 1 of 2023 regarding the Criminal Code, with a maximum prison sentence of 12 years.