Offered Restorative Justice, Surabaya Grandmother Elina Refuses to Settle with Man Who Destroyed Her Home
Elina Widjajanti, an 80-year-old woman who fell victim to a forced eviction and the demolition of her home in Surabaya, East Java, has refused to reach a settlement with Samuel Adi Kristanto over allegations of forging authentic deeds.
Samuel reportedly offered a peaceful resolution through a restorative justice mechanism, promising the return of assets and the rebuilding of her house. However, Elina chose to continue pursuing legal proceedings.
Elina's legal counsel, Wellem Mintaraja, revealed that Samuel's side had proposed several compensation points in an effort to prevent the document forgery case at Dukuh Kuwukan 27, Surabaya, from proceeding to court.
"Regarding the request from the reported party concerning restorative justice, which relates only to the document forgery charge — essentially, the property that had been transferred and renamed would be restored to its original state," Wellem said on Friday (20 February).
Nevertheless, Elina's side questioned the accountability for the loss of personal belongings and other crucial documents that were not included in the settlement offer.
"They said the building would be rebuilt and restored. However, we also asked about the accountability for the missing items, including seven land ownership certificates that have disappeared," Wellem stressed.
The decision to reject restorative justice was driven by the deep pain and trauma Elina experienced when she was forcibly evicted and her home was demolished. The elderly woman vowed not to back down in her pursuit of legal certainty over the arbitrary actions she suffered.
Elina recalled the painful moment when she was forcibly removed from her own home by a group of members of a civil organisation acting on Samuel's orders.
"I am disappointed and heartbroken — all my belongings are gone. And they lifted me bodily, even though I wanted to walk out on my own. They carried me out," Elina said.
Wellem added that the rejection of restorative justice was an effort to ensure that document forgery and thuggery targeting ordinary citizens would not be repeated.
"So we have refused, and we have chosen to proceed so that there is legal certainty," he said.
Previously, Elina had filed a further report with the East Java Regional Police on Tuesday (6 January), this time alleging the criminal forgery of documents or authentic deeds related to her property at Jalan Dukuh Kuwukan 27, Sambikerep District, Surabaya.
Wellem said at least five individuals had been reported, including Samuel Adi Kristanto. Samuel has already been named a suspect and detained in connection with the eviction, violence, and demolition of Elina's home.
"We reported the alleged document forgery. There are several people we reported. Documents concerning the land at Kuwukan, which was razed to the ground. There are five reported individuals," Wellem said at the East Java Regional Police's Integrated Police Service Centre on Tuesday (6 January).
Wellem explained that the alleged document forgery came to light during the forced eviction and demolition of Elina's home in August 2025. Personal belongings and important documents belonging to his client allegedly went missing at the time, including a Letter C certificate — proof of property ownership.
After the Letter C document disappeared, a Sale and Purchase Deed (AJB) Number 38/2025, drawn up by Surabaya Notary/Land Deed Official Dedy Wijaya in Samuel's name, emerged on 24 September 2025. According to Wellem, the deed was inconsistent with Samuel's claim that he had purchased the house from Elina's elder sister, Elisa Irawati, in 2014.
Elina had been living in the house since 2011. The property was originally an asset belonging to her sister, Elisa Irawati, as recorded in the Letter C ownership document.
Elisa passed away in 2017, after which the house passed to Elina and five other heirs. Consequently, Samuel's claim to have purchased the property in 2014 was highly questionable.
However, Elina's Letter C document, which allegedly went missing during the demolition, was found attached to the deed files used by Samuel's side. The Letter C was also struck off the register on the same day by the local village administration.
"Originally it was in the name of Mrs Elisa Irawati. The land certificate was based on a Sale and Purchase Deed — that was the basis for the de-registration. But that Sale and Purchase Deed dates from 2025, and it was based on a power of attorney to sell from 2014. Mrs Elisa herself died in 2017. How can a deceased person conduct a sale? It is simply impossible," Wellem said.
Wellem also highlighted further irregularities in the Sale and Purchase Deed, in which Samuel allegedly acted as both seller and buyer in the same document.
Samuel's side allegedly manipulated the status to make it appear as though he held a power of attorney to sell from the original owner, in order to facilitate the fictitious transaction.
"So the seller and the buyer are the same person. He made it appear as though he had already entered into a sale agreement — as though he had already obtained a power of attorney to sell from Elisa. This means that in the Sale and Purchase Deed, there is one name: seller in the name of Samuel, buyer in the name of Samuel. There are several irregularities," he said.
The police report was not directed solely at Samuel but also at other parties allegedly involved in facilitating the administrative procedures at the institutional level, including village officials suspected of striking documents off the register without proper verification with the rightful heirs.
"But there may be several additional reported parties, because others connected to the matter have emerged. We have included those who 'participated' in the complaint," he said.
Meanwhile, the East Java Regional Police has been processing the report filed by Elina regarding the alleged forgery of documents or authentic deeds. In early January, the Head of Public Relations at the East Java Regional Police, Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast, confirmed that the force had responded to the complaint. The investigation team is currently conducting a deeper inquiry and plans to summon the relevant parties.
Samuel reportedly offered a peaceful resolution through a restorative justice mechanism, promising the return of assets and the rebuilding of her house. However, Elina chose to continue pursuing legal proceedings.
Elina's legal counsel, Wellem Mintaraja, revealed that Samuel's side had proposed several compensation points in an effort to prevent the document forgery case at Dukuh Kuwukan 27, Surabaya, from proceeding to court.
"Regarding the request from the reported party concerning restorative justice, which relates only to the document forgery charge — essentially, the property that had been transferred and renamed would be restored to its original state," Wellem said on Friday (20 February).
Nevertheless, Elina's side questioned the accountability for the loss of personal belongings and other crucial documents that were not included in the settlement offer.
"They said the building would be rebuilt and restored. However, we also asked about the accountability for the missing items, including seven land ownership certificates that have disappeared," Wellem stressed.
The decision to reject restorative justice was driven by the deep pain and trauma Elina experienced when she was forcibly evicted and her home was demolished. The elderly woman vowed not to back down in her pursuit of legal certainty over the arbitrary actions she suffered.
Elina recalled the painful moment when she was forcibly removed from her own home by a group of members of a civil organisation acting on Samuel's orders.
"I am disappointed and heartbroken — all my belongings are gone. And they lifted me bodily, even though I wanted to walk out on my own. They carried me out," Elina said.
Wellem added that the rejection of restorative justice was an effort to ensure that document forgery and thuggery targeting ordinary citizens would not be repeated.
"So we have refused, and we have chosen to proceed so that there is legal certainty," he said.
Previously, Elina had filed a further report with the East Java Regional Police on Tuesday (6 January), this time alleging the criminal forgery of documents or authentic deeds related to her property at Jalan Dukuh Kuwukan 27, Sambikerep District, Surabaya.
Wellem said at least five individuals had been reported, including Samuel Adi Kristanto. Samuel has already been named a suspect and detained in connection with the eviction, violence, and demolition of Elina's home.
"We reported the alleged document forgery. There are several people we reported. Documents concerning the land at Kuwukan, which was razed to the ground. There are five reported individuals," Wellem said at the East Java Regional Police's Integrated Police Service Centre on Tuesday (6 January).
Wellem explained that the alleged document forgery came to light during the forced eviction and demolition of Elina's home in August 2025. Personal belongings and important documents belonging to his client allegedly went missing at the time, including a Letter C certificate — proof of property ownership.
After the Letter C document disappeared, a Sale and Purchase Deed (AJB) Number 38/2025, drawn up by Surabaya Notary/Land Deed Official Dedy Wijaya in Samuel's name, emerged on 24 September 2025. According to Wellem, the deed was inconsistent with Samuel's claim that he had purchased the house from Elina's elder sister, Elisa Irawati, in 2014.
Elina had been living in the house since 2011. The property was originally an asset belonging to her sister, Elisa Irawati, as recorded in the Letter C ownership document.
Elisa passed away in 2017, after which the house passed to Elina and five other heirs. Consequently, Samuel's claim to have purchased the property in 2014 was highly questionable.
However, Elina's Letter C document, which allegedly went missing during the demolition, was found attached to the deed files used by Samuel's side. The Letter C was also struck off the register on the same day by the local village administration.
"Originally it was in the name of Mrs Elisa Irawati. The land certificate was based on a Sale and Purchase Deed — that was the basis for the de-registration. But that Sale and Purchase Deed dates from 2025, and it was based on a power of attorney to sell from 2014. Mrs Elisa herself died in 2017. How can a deceased person conduct a sale? It is simply impossible," Wellem said.
Wellem also highlighted further irregularities in the Sale and Purchase Deed, in which Samuel allegedly acted as both seller and buyer in the same document.
Samuel's side allegedly manipulated the status to make it appear as though he held a power of attorney to sell from the original owner, in order to facilitate the fictitious transaction.
"So the seller and the buyer are the same person. He made it appear as though he had already entered into a sale agreement — as though he had already obtained a power of attorney to sell from Elisa. This means that in the Sale and Purchase Deed, there is one name: seller in the name of Samuel, buyer in the name of Samuel. There are several irregularities," he said.
The police report was not directed solely at Samuel but also at other parties allegedly involved in facilitating the administrative procedures at the institutional level, including village officials suspected of striking documents off the register without proper verification with the rightful heirs.
"But there may be several additional reported parties, because others connected to the matter have emerged. We have included those who 'participated' in the complaint," he said.
Meanwhile, the East Java Regional Police has been processing the report filed by Elina regarding the alleged forgery of documents or authentic deeds. In early January, the Head of Public Relations at the East Java Regional Police, Commissioner Jules Abraham Abast, confirmed that the force had responded to the complaint. The investigation team is currently conducting a deeper inquiry and plans to summon the relevant parties.