The National Police have arrested an alleged member of the separatist Free Papua Organization (OPM) who was accused of recently killing a soldier in Puncak Jaya, Papua.

"One person has been arrested," National Police chief Gen. Sutarman said at his office on Monday, as quoted by the state-run Antara news agency. Sutarman said that police found an M-16 gun on the suspect at the time of the arrest, the firearm alleged to have been used during the shooting.

First Private Sugiartu was at the time escorting the Puncak Jaya military commander, the Puncak Jaya Police chief and the commander of a raider battalion to Pintu Angin – the site of a previous shooting of a supposed separatist.

An armed group attacked the company, killing Sugiartu. Police said that they believe the group was led by a man named Yambi – the leader of a local faction of the OPM.