Two policemen detained for shooting trader to death

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)