Durian. Indonesia’s Witnesses And Victims Protection Agency (LPSK) on Friday announced that the agency had decided to stop its physical protection towards Richard Eliezer, a convict who is a justice collaborator for the country’s top murder case of Police Brigadier Yosua Hutabarat.
According to an official of the LPSK, the physical protection is removed because Eliezer was violating its protection agreement with the agency by accepting an interview by an Indonesian private television that has been aired even though the LPSK did not give its permission.
“The LPSK has conducted its leaders meeting that decided to stop the protection for R.E. (Richard Eliezer)…Stopping the protection won’t affect R.E.’s rights as a justice collaborator,” Syahrial, a technical staff of LPSK said in a press conference on Friday in Jakarta.
Richard was sentenced on Feb. 15 by a panel of judges at the South Jakarta District Court to serve one and a half years of imprisonment for shooting his fellow adjutant Yosua Hutabarat based on order from their superior, former two-star police general Ferdy Sambo, that caused the death of Yosua.
Due to his commitment to become a justice collaborator, Richard received a light sentence compared to prosecutors’ demand of 13 years of imprisonment. The judges also accepted and granted his collaborator status, which impacted the protection of the convict.
The LPSK has protected Richard since August 15 last year and his protection agreement with the agency supposed to end by 16 August 2023.
According to Indonesia’s law, a justice collaborator will get at least five privileges – rights to get legal protection, physic social assistance, physical protection, procedural rights and all related rights – as explained by Syahrial.
He said the interview with Richard with the news broadcaster has violated the agreement between Richard and the LPSK.
