Supreme Court Redu

Toples Tropis - The Supreme Court (SC) has overturned the death sentence verdict for former Head of the Professional and Security Division (Kadiv Propam) of the Indonesian National Police, Ferdy Sambo, in the case of the planned murder of Brigadier Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat. The SC has imposed a life imprisonment sentence on Ferdy Sambo.

"Imposing a sentence on the defendant Ferdy Sambo with a life imprisonment penalty," said SC spokesperson Andi Samsan Nganro during a virtual session on Tuesday, August 8, 2023.

This verdict is significantly lighter than the demand from the public prosecutor's office (JPU), which sought the death penalty for Ferdy Sambo. The JPU believed that Ferdy Sambo had been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of planning the premeditated murder of Brigadier Yosua Hutabarat.

Ferdy Sambo was charged with violating Article 340 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) regarding Premeditated Murder. He was accused of planning the murder of Brigadier Yosua Hutabarat by preparing firearms and ammunition.

In its considerations, the SC deemed the death penalty imposed on Ferdy Sambo to be excessively severe. The SC concluded that Ferdy Sambo was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt to be the intellectual mastermind behind the murder of Brigadier Yosua Hutabarat.

The SC also recognized that the death penalty inflicted on Ferdy Sambo would not be fair to the victim's family. It assessed that the victim's family would suffer more if Ferdy Sambo were to be executed.

With the reduction of the death sentence verdict to Ferdy Sambo, the possibility of him being freed from a life imprisonment sentence remains open. Ferdy Sambo can still file for cassation with the Constitutional Court (MK).

If Ferdy Sambo files for cassation with the MK, then the MK will review this case again and decide whether the life imprisonment verdict imposed on Ferdy Sambo is in accordance with the law or not.

**Can the Verdict Be Reduced Again?**

The verdict imposed on Ferdy Sambo can be reduced again if he is proven not guilty. If Ferdy Sambo is proven not guilty, he will be released from the life imprisonment sentence.

Ferdy Sambo can prove his innocence by presenting new evidence that was not previously presented during the trial. This new evidence must demonstrate that Ferdy Sambo was not involved in the murder of Brigadier Yosua Hutabarat.

If Ferdy Sambo cannot prove his innocence, he will continue to serve the life imprisonment sentence.