TEMPO.CO, Surabaya - The former commander of the East Java police’s 3rd company Mobile Brigade (Brimob) adj. Comm. Hasdarmawan on Thursday has been handed a 1-year and 6-month sentence in the Kanjuruhan football stadium disaster.

The Chair of the panel of judges Abu Ahmad Siddqi Amsya in his verdict stated that the defendant had convincingly been proven guilty of violating Article 359, Article 360 paragraph 1, and Article 360 paragraph 2 of the Criminal Code (KUHP), namely as a result of his negligence causing the death of another person or injuring others.

Hasdarmawan was deemed unable to predict the actual situation which should have been easy to anticipate in dealing with football supporters during the Liga 1 cup on October 1, 2022.

In court, he was found ordering his personnel to use teargas aimed at the football stadium’s tribune - which was packed with football fans – in an attempt to prevent more fans from entering the field.

Judges concluded that the anarchist tendency shown by a few fans following the loss of their team was wrong, especially after throwing police personnel with numerous objects. However, the judge's panel concluded that the police’s response by shooting teargas cannot be justified.

This use of teargas has been the main aspect in the public discourse as it drove people to panic and flee to the nearest exit doors, which led to a mass stampede to happen. This situation caused the death of 135 football fans, severely injured 63, and caused minor injuries to 623 people.

KUKUH S. WIBOWO

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