"(Owing to) his honesty, courage, and determination to uncover this case, he deserved to be granted the status of justice collaborator or a witness willing to cooperate," judiciary panel member Alimin Ribut Sujono remarked.
Sujono explained that to be a justice collaborator, someone should not be the main actor in a case that is being tried.
In a trial, Sujono said that Eliezer was not the main actor although he was the one who executed the plan and shot Brigadier J.
"The defendant has a role in shooting the victim, Yosua. Meanwhile, witness Ferdy Sambo was the one who had the idea, was the mastermind, the planner as well as the shooter of Yosua," he remarked.
He concluded that Eliezer was one of the perpetrators, albeit not the main actor.
Related news: Richard Eliezer jailed for 1.5 years over Brigadier J murder
The panel said that Eliezer also deserves to be granted the status of a justice collaborator since much evidence in this case had disappeared, was destroyed, removed, and replaced, and had even dragged several police officers to blur facts.
"Although it put the defendant in a very dangerous position and situation for his life as the defendant walked alone," he remarked.
He said that Eliezer's honesty had helped bring clarity to this case, so the judges handed down lower sentences than that for the four other defendants.
The South Jakarta District Court handed a sentence of one year and six months' imprisonment to Eliezer, lower than the 12-year prison term demanded by public prosecutors in a trial held on Wednesday, January 18, 2023.
Meanwhile, Ferdy Sambo was given death sentence, while his wife was awarded a 20-year prison term after they were found guilty of the murder in separate trials on Monday.
Kuat Ma'ruf was sentenced to a 15-year prison term, while Ricky Rizal was given a 13-year prison sentence.
Related news: Public prosecutors' team demands 12 years imprisonment for Bharada E
Translator: Shofi Ayudiana
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
Copyright © ANTARA 2023
