Press Barred from Nearing Reconstruction of Novel Baswedan Terror

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Metro Police conducted the reconstruction of the acid attack against Novel Baswedan on Jalan Deposito, North Jakarta, on Friday, February 7. The team boarding one bus arrived at the crime scene at 3 a.m.

Reporters who had already flocked around the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) senior investigator’s residence were demanded to make a distance from the reconstruction site.

“We want sterilization for the reconstruction. Please move until the third ring [of the police guard] because this area will be used for the reconstruction,” said a police officer before reporters early today, February 7.

The police urged the press to head back until 100 meters. Tempo observed several police officers were roaming around the mosque, where Novel performed dawn prayer before the terror occurred.

Meanwhile, the advocate for the anti-graft investigator called on the police to postpone the reconstruction because of their client’s absence for getting medical treatment in Singapore.

“We hope the police will delay the process because we have just received the invitation letter and we cannot meet into it due to our client’s current condition,” said Novel’s attorney Arief Maulana in a written statement on Thursday, February 6. Arief explained that Novel left for Singapore as his eyes’ condition was declining.

Novel Baswedan was splashed by acid water after he performed the prayer at a mosque located near his house on April 11, 2017. The attack severely damaged his eyes.

At the end of December 2019, the police arrested two suspects who are members of the police mobile brigade named Ronny Bugis and Rahmat Kadir Mahulette. Ronny was allegedly the attacker, while Rahmat was the helper.

EKO WAHYUDI