Witness Testimony After Andrie Yunus Was Doused with Acid: Clothes Destroyed

Two civilians named Muhammad Hidayat and Pajri recounted the moments following the acid dousing of KontraS activist Andrie Yunus by members of the TNI Strategic Intelligence Agency Headquarters Detachment (Denma BAIS) on the night of 12 March in Jalan Talang, Central Jakarta.

Presented as witnesses by the Military Auditor II-07 Jakarta, Hidayat said he had attempted to chase the perpetrators towards the RSUP National Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo (RSCM).

He testified for four defendants: Defendant II First Lieutenant Budhi Hariyanto Widhi, Defendant III Captain Nandala Dwi Prasetyo, and Defendant IV First Lieutenant Sami Lakka.

Hidayat recounted that when the acid dousing occurred, he was at the security post with Pajri and Buyung.

Hidayat said he immediately approached Andrie, who was screaming, and tried to chase the fleeing perpetrator after carrying out the act.

“On 12 March 2026 around 22:00 or 23:00, what did you witness hear, what did you witness see, and what did you witness know from witness 6?” asked the auditor at the Military Court II-08 Jakarta.

“Yes, sir, at the beginning I heard screams for help, then I along with Pajri and the others approached the victim. Asking, what’s wrong, was it a mugging or what,” said Hidayat.

Hidayat admitted seeing Andrie screaming in pain. At that time, he explained, Andrie was already shirtless. He said Andrie immediately stated that he had been doused with acid.

“As the witness recalls, what was the question to the victim?” asked the auditor.

“What’s wrong, bro, what’s wrong, bro,” said Hidayat.

“Did he answer at that time?” continued the auditor.

“He answered, bro, no, no, not a mugging, acid, acid,” replied Hidayat, imitating Andrie’s words.

Hidayat said that when he arrived at the scene, Andrie had already removed his helmet, jacket, and bag. Hidayat also chased the defendant after the dousing but did not catch up.

“Approximately how far did the witness chase the perpetrator?” asked the auditor.

“About 100 metres, sir, because the motorbike still had a lot of liquid, sir,” answered Hidayat.

Hidayat tried to chase the defendant using Andrie’s motorbike. He said the motorbike still had a lot of acid liquid on the head to the seat, which was already torn.

“The motorbike you rode was the victim’s motorbike?” asked the auditor.

“The victim’s motorbike,” answered Hidayat.

Hidayat then returned to approach Andrie because he failed to chase the perpetrator, and he saw Andrie’s body reddened.

“What was the condition of the victim’s items? Were they damaged by that liquid?” asked the auditor.

“The jacket was destroyed, sir, the clothes too,” revealed Hidayat.

“Then on the motorbike, what was destroyed, the victim’s motorbike?” asked the auditor.

“On the motorbike, it was just white when doused with acid, sir,” answered Hidayat.

“Earlier the witness said the seat was destroyed, right?” asked the auditor.

“Yes, sir,” answered Hidayat.

Hidayat admitted feeling heat on his buttocks because he rode Andrie’s motorbike while chasing the perpetrator. Even his trousers were damaged from the remaining liquid on Andrie’s motorbike.

“But the witness chased using that motorbike, if chasing, you sat on that seat, right, the witness’s trousers also got holes?” asked the auditor.

“Destroyed, sir,” answered Hidayat.

“Hot?” asked the auditor.

“Quite, sir,” answered Hidayat.

Based on the indictment letter from the auditor, the reason the defendants doused Andrie with acid was because they were annoyed with Andrie’s behaviour, who often voiced issues regarding the expansion of militarism into the civilian sphere.

This included Andrie’s actions with a civil society coalition interrupting a closed meeting between the DPR and TNI regarding the discussion of the TNI Bill at the Fairmont Hotel in March 2025.

“With that incident, the defendants considered Andrie Yunus to have insulted the TNI institution, even trampling on the TNI institution,” said the auditor when reading the indictment in the previous hearing.

The defendants are charged with violating Article 469 paragraph 1 subsidiary Article 468 paragraph 1 further subsidiary Article 467 paragraph 1 in conjunction with paragraph 2 in conjunction with Article 20 letter C of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.