April 14, 2025
JAKARTA – Prosecutors have filed an appeal against Kabanjahe District Court’s life sentences for two murderers and a 20-year jail term for a third man convicted in the killing of a journalist and his family in Karo regency, North Sumatra.
North Sumatra Prosecutors’ Office spokesman Adre Wanda Ginting said the appeal had been submitted on Tuesday.
Adre added that the prosecutor filed an appeal because the panel of judges handed down sentences lighter than those demanded by prosecutors, who had demanded the death penalty for all three defendants.
“The panel of judges’ verdicts were not in line with the prosecutor’s demand, that’s why the prosecutor filed an appeal,” Adre told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
Adre said the three men were guilty of the premeditated murder of journalist Rico Sempuran Pasaribu, his wife Eprida Ginting, their son Sudiinvestasi Pasaribu and grandson Lowi Situngkir.
Rico and his family members were killed on June 27, 2024.
The four victims died inside their house after a fire was started by the convicts.
Rico was a journalist for Tribrata TV who filed stories about illegal gambling activities in Karo regency
“This collective premeditated murder violated Articles 340 and 55 of the Criminal Code with the punishment of death,” he said.
Defendants Bebas Ginting and Yunus Saputra received life sentences while Rudi Apri Sembiring received a 20-year jail term during the sentence reading on March 27.
Presiding Judge Adil Simarmata said that the three men had been found guilty of conducting the murders together.
In its consideration, the panel of judges said the men were sadistic and inhumane in killing the four victims, including two minors. The crime created fear in the community and they did not come clean during their trial. There were no mitigating circumstances for Bebas or Yunus, while Rudi received a lighter sentence because it was his first offence.
Medan Legal Institute Aid (LBH) director Irvan Saputra, who accompanied the victims’ family, said he respected the panel of judges’ verdict while pointing to the fact that both the panel of judges and prosecutors agreed that the killings were premeditated murder.
“Both judges and prosecutors considered it a case of premeditated murder, but why not give the death sentence to the defendants?” Irvan asked on Thursday.
Irvan said he supported the prosecutors in filing an appeal against the verdict.
He also expected the case to be fully revealed without leaving out any other guilty parties, including the suspected involvement of Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel.
Irvan said the case had been reported to the Bukit Barisan Military Command’s military police. (nvn)