Novel Baswedan's Hitmen Came From Police's Brimob Corps

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Metro Police named two suspects from the police’s Mobile Brigade (Brimob) corps as the hitmen responsible for the acid attack on Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigator Novel Baswedan. 

According to Police’s official report on the two suspects, identified as RM and RB, the charges facing them are Article 179 (2) of the Criminal Code (KUHP) and Article 351 (2), overseeing acts of physical abuse causing severe injuries. 

A background investigation by Tempo found that RM, which is believed to be Rahmat Kadir Mahulette, is suspected to be the executor who dashed a cup of liquid acid to Novel Baswedan’s face on the early dawn of April 11, 2017, while the KPK investigator was walking home from a nearby Mosque in North Jakarta. 

Rahmat’s rank in the police corps is known to be Brigadier in Brimob’s Gegana bomb squad technical assistance unit. Meanwhile, RB who is believed to be Ronny Bugis is a Chief Brigadier and was the person tasked to assist Rahmat to launch the attack on Novel Baswedan. 

However, the Indonesian Police (Polri) is yet to entirely disclose complete information about two of Novel’s attackers, which is why Polri spokesman Brig. Gen. Argo Yuwono only provided information about the suspects’ initials and that Polri worked closely with the Brimob Corps Chief to arrest both of the attackers. 

SYAILENDRA PERSADA