Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – The release of five men complicit in the murder case at Cebongan Penitentiary, Sleman, has drawn wide criticism due to fears that the move will tarnish the public's sense of justice.
Of the case's 12 convicts – all members of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) Group 2 Kandang Menjangan in Kartasura, Central Java – only four remain in detention at Military Police Detachment (Denpom) IV/2 Yogyakarta.
"Eight convicts have been released," Denpom IV/2 Yogyakarta commander Lt. Col. Jefridin confirmed with The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Three were released because their detention terms had exceeded their sentences. They were Sgt. Maj. Rokhmadi, Sgt. Maj. Muhammad Zaenuri and Chief Sgt. Sutar.
Five other convicts were released because their detention terms ended and were not extended. They were First Sgt. Tri Juwanto, First Sgt. Anjar Rahmanto, First Sgt. Martinus Roberto Paulus Banani, First Sgt. Suprapto and First Sgt. Herman Siswoyo. They were all sentenced to one-year-and-nine months in jail.
Those that remain in detention are – the three main convicts in the case: Second Sgt. Ucok Tigor Simbolon, Second Sgt. Sugeng Sumaryanto and First Cpl. Kodik – and Second Sgt. Ikhmawan Suprapto.
They were sentenced to between six and 11 years in prison for killing four detainees that were suspects in the killing of Chief Sgt. Heru Santoso, also a member of Kopassus Group 2 at a cafe in Yogyakarta on March 19.
Commenting on the release of the five convicts, Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Yogyakarta director Samsudin Nurseha said the decision set a bad precedent. "Their detention should prevent others from emulating their behavior in the future," Samsudin said.
He said the decision by the panel of judges to release the convicts had not violated any law. However, as all five convicts had decided to file appeals with the II Jakarta Military High Court, the military high court should have ordered the five to remain in detention.
The remand, he added, made sense as the military high court had also issued detention orders for Ucok, Sugeng, Kodik and Ikhmawan. "Why then were these five released? This is unfair," he said.