, August 2022 The murder trial of Ferdy Sambo, his wife, two police officers and a driver – all facing charges of premeditated murder – started in
South Jakarta District Court on 17 October 2022. Sambo was accused of ordering a subordinate to shoot Hutabarat, then shooting the wounded victim again himself to kill him. In parallel with the murder trial, seven former officers including Sambo were tried on charges of obstruction of justice related to alleged cover-ups and destruction of evidence. In January 2023, the court rejected allegations that Hutabarat had raped, sexually assaulted or had an adulterous affair with Sambo's wife, Putri Candrawathi. Prosecutors said Candrawathi had invented a story that she had been raped by Hutabarat, and had repeatedly changed her version of events leading up to the shooting. On 13 February 2023, Ferdy Sambo was found "legally and convincingly guilty" of the premeditated murder of Hutabarat and sentenced to death – a penalty usually carried out in Indonesia by
firing squad. Sambo has a week to appeal the verdict; his role as a law enforcer was seen by observers as a factor in the court imposing the maximum sentence – Ardi Manto Saputra, deputy director of human rights group Imparsial said Sambo had "tainted the reputation of law enforcement and the government's dignity". Candrawathi received a 20-years prison sentence for her role in the murder; her personal assistant Kuat Ma'ruf was given 15 years, and Ricky Rizal Wibowo was given a 13-year sentence (in all three cases, the prosecution had requested eight-year terms). On 15 February 2023, Richard Eliezer Pudihang Lumiu was sentenced to 18 months in prison for his role in the murder; the prosecution had requested a twelve-year term but he was given a lighter sentence for his efforts as a justice collaborator. On 15 and 16 February 2023, lawyers for four defendants (Ma'ruf, Sambo, Candrawathi and Rizal) submitted appeals against their sentences; prosecutors lodged counter-appeals. On 12 April 2023, the South Jakarta District Court rejected all of the defendants' appeals, In May 2023, Sambo, Chandrawati and Ma'ruf filed
cassation appeals to the Supreme Court. ==References==