Soldier on trial for murder, drug charges

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

A Navy officer who shot five soldiers in late August went on trial for murder at a military court in Banda Aceh on Thursday.

In the hearing, a prosecutor ruled out an earlier claim by the Indonesian Military (TNI) that the defendant, First Lt. Frederick Simorangkir, shot the five colleagues due to severe depression.

According to prosecutor Capt. Bambang Indrawan, the defendant sprayed bullets at his colleagues while under the influence of drugs.

Reading the indictment, Bambang told the court that the incident began when Frederick and other military personnel got together on Aug. 22 in a house near the Neusu Jaya military base in Banda Aceh.

The get-together was hosted by First. Lt. Dedi Hermawan as a reunion between the seven soldiers, including Dedi and Frederick. While his friends were busy inhaling crystal methamphetamine (shabu-shabu), Frederick went into another room of the house at 12:30 a.m. According to his friends, Frederick "looked crazy and was acting very weird." His friends failed to calm him down.

By 4 a.m., Dedi had lost patience with Frederick and told him to return to the barracks. Frederick refused and they started to quarrel.

Suddenly, Frederick picked up his gun and shot at everyone in the house, including Dedi. Four died instantly and another escaped. Chief Pvt. Wawan was the only one to escape death.

If found guilty, Simorangkir could face at least 20 years' imprisonment, in addition to being dishonorably discharged from the military.