richard
JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): Following his conviction to 18 months in prison last week, Richard Eliezer receives another leniency for his role in the murder of fellow police officer Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat as the National Police’s ethics hearing demoted him to an administrative support role, allowing Richard to stay with the police corps.
“The police ethics committee, as the division in charge, is of the opinion that the suspected offender could maintain his position within the National Police," National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ahmad Ramadhan said on Wednesday (Feb 22) in a press conference after the ethics hearing.
The hearing was conducted behind closed doors, with the panel sanctioning Richard to a one-year demotion to the headquarters service (Yanma) division. Eight witnesses presented their testimonies during the hearing.
The mastermind behind the murder, then-police internal affairs chief Ferdy Sambo and two other accomplices, Kuat Ma’ruf and Ricky Rizal, did not attend in person but had their statements delivered and read out during the hearing.
Aside from the demotion, Richard is also required to apologise to the ethics commission and write an apology letter to National Police chief Gen Listyo Sigit Prabowo.
Before the hearing, National Police spokesperson Dedi Prasetyo revealed that a dishonourable discharge is one of the possible punishments Richard could receive, the same as what was handed down to Ferdy last year in his ethics hearing.
Benny Mamoto of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) who monitored the hearing in person said the ethics panel considered Richard’s status as a justice collaborator for the murder case.
The panel, he added, emphasised that Richard’s work with investigators in the case was instrumental in revealing more details about the murder that happened in Ferdy’s residence in Jakarta last year.
“We think that this result wouldn’t [damage the police’s reputation], as Richard later has to show if his actions and behaviour is worthy [of this second chance],” said Benny.
Richard, who participated but also helped expose the murder plot of Yosua, has in the past expressed his wish to remain with the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) after serving his time in prison.
Last week, Richard was sentenced to one and a half years in prison, a much lighter sentence than the 12 years sought by prosecutors, with Judge Alimin Sujono citing his status of justice collaborator as the reasoning behind the lesser sentence.
The court found that Richard shot Yosua on the orders of his commanding officer, Ferdy.
The general public have thrown their support behind Richard in his criminal conviction, and National Police chief Listyo said last week after Richard’s court verdict that the police would consider the public's input in deciding Richard’s fate in the corps.
“The ethics panel will take into account [what happens in the criminal trial], and the police will try to come to a decision that could be perceived as fair by all parties,” said the police chief on Feb 16, as quoted by Kompas.com.
