Revelations in the Indictment of Four Soldiers Who Threw Acid on Andrie Yunus

Four defendants who threw acid on KontraS activist Andrie Yunus underwent an indictment hearing at the East Jakarta Military Court. The hearing revealed the motives of the four defendants for throwing acid on Andrie Yunus.

The indictment hearing for the four defendants took place at the East Jakarta Military Court on Wednesday (29/4). The four defendants attended in person: Defendant I Sergeant Two Edi Sudarko (ES), Defendant II First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi (BHW), Defendant III Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetyo (NDP), and Defendant IV First Lieutenant Sami Lakka (SL).

Andrie Yunus Considered to Have Insulted the TNI

The prosecutor stated that the defendants learned of Andrie on 16 March 2025 when Andrie entered and interrupted a meeting discussing revisions to the TNI Law held by the DPR at the Fairmont Hotel in South Jakarta. The defendants viewed Andrie’s actions as insulting the TNI institution.

“With that incident, the defendants considered that Andrie Yunus had insulted the TNI institution, even trampling on the TNI institution,” said the prosecutor while reading the indictment.

The prosecutor said that Serda Edi and Lettu Budhi met at the Al-Ikhlas Mosque of the TNI Bais on 9 March 2026. The prosecutor mentioned that Edi showed a viral video of Andrie that was considered to have forced entry into the meeting room at the Fairmont Hotel during the discussion of the TNI Law revision.

Then, Edi and Budhi met again for coffee on 10 March 2026 after breaking the fast at the TNI Bais mosque. The prosecutor said Budhi then contacted Sami to join them for coffee.

“But because Defendant IV had already gone home, Defendant IV replied tomorrow. Subsequently, Defendant I and Defendant II continued chatting until late at night,” said the prosecutor.

Andrie Yunus Interrupted the TNI Bill Meeting

Then, in the indictment hearing, another reason was also revealed. One reason related to Andrie Yunus who once interrupted the TNI Bill meeting at the Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta.

The prosecutor explained that this became a discussion among the defendants when they met on 11 March 2026 at the TNI Bais Denma mess. At that time, said the prosecutor, Defendant I again expressed annoyance towards Andrie who was considered to have accused the TNI of carrying out terror and being the mastermind behind the riots at the end of August 2025.

“Upon arriving in the room, the four defendants began drinking coffee together, in between conversations Defendant I expressed his annoyance towards Andrie Yunus. By saying, ‘Andrie Yunus forced his way into the meeting room at the Fairmont Hotel in Jakarta which was discussing the TNI Bill, thus Andrie Yunus trampled on the TNI institution, by Andrie Yunus along with the KontraS NGO suing the TNI Law to the Constitutional Court’,” said the prosecutor.

“In addition, Andrie Yunus accused the TNI of intimidating and carrying out terror at the KontraS office. And the TNI was also accused of being the mastermind or actor in the tragedy of the riots at the end of August 2025. And Andrie Yunus also vigorously promoted an anti-militarism narrative,” added the prosecutor explaining Defendant I’s statements.

The Idea to Throw Acid Emerged

The prosecutor said Defendant I wanted to teach Andrie a lesson as a deterrent effect. Then, Defendant II suggested the idea of throwing rust cleaner liquid.

“Defendant I said he wanted to hit Andrie Yunus as a lesson and as a deterrent effect. But Defendant II said don’t hit him, but just throw rust cleaner liquid on him. Defendant I said I’ll be the one to throw it, hearing Defendant II’s idea, Defendant III agreed and said if that’s the case, we’ll do it together,” he said.

In short, the defendants sought information about Andrie Yunus’s activities. They divided tasks during the throwing.

“At that time Defendant I was searching for information from Google about Andrie Yunus’s activities,” he said.

Indictment Considered Not to Reach Intellectual Actors

KontraS immediately responded to the indictment hearing that had taken place. KontraS criticised the indictment against the four TNI soldiers as defendants in this case for not reaching the alleged involvement of intellectual actors behind the attack on Andrie.

“The determination of only four suspects by the TNI Puspom is in contrast to the findings of the independent investigation by TAUD which found at least 16 field actors involved in the attack on Andrie,” said KontraS Working Body Dimas Bagus Arya to reporters on Wednesday (29/4).

The four defendants in the Andrie Yunus case are Sergeant Two Edi Sudarko (ES), First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi (BHW), Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetyo (NDP), and First Lieutenant Sami Lakka (SL). KontraS assessed that the articles applied to the four defendants were also inappropriate.

“The aggravated assault article with planning charged by the Military Prosecutor is not appropriate. The acid attack on Andrie Yunus should be viewed as premeditated murder with intent,” he said.

According to Dimas, the motive of the defendants in the indictment was also reduced to a personal grudge motive. That motive, said Dimas, obscures the alleged involvement of an intellectual figure who ordered the acid throwing on Andrie Yunus.

“The reason for the attack being carried out due to personal grudges from the defendants will cover up the involvement of other field actors as per the findings of the independent TAUD investigation as well as intellectual actors behind the attack on Andrie Yunus,” explained Dimas.