Seven Suspects in Murder of Student from Southwest Sumba Transferred to Kupang Prosecutor's Office

Seven suspects in the case of the murder of a student from Southwest Sumba Regency, Sebastianus Bokol alias Tian, 22, have been transferred to the Kupang District Prosecutor’s Office in Kupang City, East Nusa Tenggara, on Tuesday (31/3). The seven suspects are initialled MAD alias Migel, 21, FMD, 22, JK, 28, HVGS, 22, AKAP, 22, APFM, 22, and WIT, 23. The handover includes the suspects along with evidence from the investigators of the NTT Provincial Police to the public prosecutors. The case began on the night of 2 August 2022, when the victim was murdered and his body burned near the Kasih Public Cemetery, Liliba Village, Kupang City. The Head of the Kupang District Prosecutor’s Office, Sherly Manutede, emphasised that her office will promptly prepare the case transfer to the court. “In the next 20 days, we will prepare this case transfer to the prosecution stage until it is tried, so that this case can be clarified,” she said. Sherly stressed that the case handling is done carefully and not hastily. The determination of suspects until the file is declared complete (P21) is the result of coordination between investigators and public prosecutors. “This is a murder case. It is impossible for investigators or prosecutors to work carelessly. Everything goes through very careful file examination before being declared P21,” she asserted. In this case, there are 24 witnesses and three experts who will be presented at the trial. That number still has the potential to increase, including witnesses from the suspects’ side. Regarding the suspects’ families, Sherly stated that she has held an audience and listened to their aspirations. She urged all parties to remain calm and respect the legal process. “I understand the feelings of the suspects’ families. But let us all respect the legal process. Nothing is forced, everything runs according to the rules,” she said. The principle of caution is the main focus in handling criminal cases to avoid mistakes in determining suspects. “It is better to free a thousand guilty people than to punish one innocent person. That is the principle we uphold,” she added. Sherly also assured that there are no threats to the prosecutor’s office during the case handling process. Communication with the suspects’ families is running well and conducive. “There are no threats. Everything is running well. They conveyed their aspirations, we also provided explanations. Now the atmosphere is calmer,” she revealed. She invited the public to monitor the legal process until the trial to ensure justice for all parties. “This case is already P21, meaning it has fulfilled the criminal elements. Now is the time for us to monitor it together in court so that everything becomes clear and fair,” said Sherly. The stage II handover was also marked by a student demonstration expressing support for the prosecutor’s office. The students demanded that the case be handled professionally and that the suspects be punished according to their actions.