Mei Leandha, Medan – The prosecutors in the case of the murder of journalist Rico Sempurna Pasaribu and his family are seeking the death penalty for the alleged killers, namely Bebas Ginting alias Bulang, Yunus Tarigan and Rudi Sembiring. They were found to have violated Article 340 of the Criminal Code concerning premeditated murder.
Coordinator of the North Sumatra Journalist Safety Committee (KKJ), Array A Argus, said on Monday, March 17, 2025, that the prosecutor's demand proves that the defendants did commit premeditated murder, since it's "based on the facts revealed during the trial."
The defendants, based on the facts of the court, monitored the victim's house, bought gasoline, and burned Rico's house. "We ask for the trial next week to be monitored, there are parties who have yet to be brought to trial," said Array.
The party referred to by Array is Private First Class HB, a TNI personnel who, according to Eva Meliana Pasaribu, the late Rico's daughter, is the most responsible person in the murder of her two parents, sibling, and child.
"We are awaiting the results of the investigation by the 1st Bukit Barisan Military Command. Until the demand is read, we have submitted additional evidence twice together with the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Medan,' said Array.
The victim's child, Eva Meliana Pasaribu, is thankful that the defendants have been charged with death penalty, and hopes for the judges to rule in favor of the prosecutors. "I hope for the judges to impose death penalty on the three defendants," said Eva.
"I'm asking for the panel of judges to use conscience while considering the case. I have lost my family, don't let me yet again lose this sense of justice," she said, tearfully.
Eva also urges the 1st Bukit Barisan Military Command to handle her report earnestly. Eva has paid a visit to the military command twice with LBH Medan and the North Sumatra Journalist Safety Committee to submit evidence against Private First Class HB in the case of the Tribrata TV journalist murder.
The Director of LBH Medan, Irvan Saputra, said that Private First Class HB is the owner of a shooting fish gambling business reported by the victim. But despite the evidence submitted, there has been minimal progress to indict the soldier.
Private First Class HB's involvement in the death of the Tribrata TV journalist has been disclosed by the police during the crime reconstruction on July 19, 2024. The accused showed an alleged article about gambling written by the victim and instructed the defendant to request a deletion from the victim, an order the defendant followed.
"We urge the 1st Bukit Barisan Military Command to designate Private First Class HB as a suspect. He is strongly suspected as the mastermind behind the murder. If the case stops at the three defendants, it is not correlated with the victim. Moreover, until now, the motive for this premeditated murder has not been disclosed to the public," Irvan said.