Two policemen detained for shooting trader to death

JAKARTA (JP): The military police have detained two police sergeants who were allegedly involved in the shooting dead of a used book vendor in Senen market in Central Jakarta on Thursday. One was reportedly drunk at the time.

Central Jakarta Police chief Lt. Col. Iman Harjatna confirmed on Friday that one of the officers killed the vendor, identified as Ramli Frans Tamba, and the latter was caught red-handed selling a pornographic video compact disk (VCD) to a minor during a routine operation cracking down on pornographic material.

"The officer was forced to shoot because instead of surrendering, the victim tried to attack him with a dagger," Iman said.

According to Iman, the police confiscated a pornographic VCD and a dagger, both belonging to Ramli, as evidence.

"Neither Sgt. Maj. S. Budi Utomo nor Sgt. Maj. Arief Rusman tried to escape from their responsibilities. They even helped take the victim to the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital," Iman said.

The two on-duty plainclothes officers were part of a police intelligence team deployed to bust the distribution of pornographic books and VCDs in Central Jakarta, Iman said, adding that the operation began a month ago.

When pressed whether one of the sergeants was under the influence of alcohol, as witnessed by several vendors at the Senen market, Iman declined to comment.

"We should wait for the military police investigation, but the fact is that they were on duty and in danger so they were forced to use their guns, " Iman said.

According to Ramli's relatives, Ramli was shot once from behind in the back, the bullet reportedly piercing his lungs.

The incident, which took place at 4:15 p.m., was witnessed by many onlookers, mostly Ramli's fellow traders.

"He died at the scene. Moments before he died, we heard him shouting: 'I'm not a criminal why did you shoot me?'," Agus Tamba, the victim's brother, said.

"Ramli didn't have a dagger and I saw him serving the two policemen kindly and didn't fight back at all. The policemen became angry and scolded him for no reason."

Most of Ramli's friends and relatives deeply regretted the shooting as the officers did not fire any warning shots before shooting Ramli.

"It's unlikely that Ramli tried to run away because his kiosk was close to many others," one of Ramli's other relatives said.

The 47-year-old trader, a resident of Sumur Batu subdistrict in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, is survived by his wife Lilis Suryani Pasaribu and six children.

Ramli's son, Ricardo said he was deeply shocked as he was the one who held his father before he fell.

"Why did the police feel the need to shoot him like that, he was not a culprit?" Ricardo asked.

However, he admitted that some "illegal" merchandises could be found among the used comics and magazines in his father's kiosk.

"But that's not only my father. We don't have any choice. If selling those illegal goods is better than the old and used ones, then why not, as long as they're all halal (permissible according to Islamic teachings)," Ricardo who also owns a kiosk in the market, said. (emf)