Jayapura, Jubi – Head of the Papua Office of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights Anthonius M Ayorbaba said the sanctions for RM, the Abepura Penitentiary officer who beat a defendant named Maksimus You, will be decided this week.
“We will decide the sanctions based on the report from the Abepura Penitentiary and the report from the Corrections Division,” said Ayorbaba on Monday, August 1, 2022.
Maksimus Simon Petrus You (18) is being tried in the case of alleged treason with six of his friends who raised the Morning Star flag at Cenderawasih Sports Center, Jayapura City on December 1, 2021. The six other people are Melvin Yobe (29), Melvin Fernando Waine (25), Devion Tekege (23), Yoseph Ernesto Matua (19), Lukas Kitok Uropmabin (21) and Ambrosius Fransiskus Elopere (21).
During the trial process, the seven defendants were detained in the Abepura prison. The beating of You was carried out by RM on July 29, 2022 at around 18.00 – 19.00 Papua time. At that time You was in a cell after returning from worship with other prisoners.
Ayorbaba explained that after the beating that occurred on July 29, 2022, he had ordered the Head of the Corrections Division and the team to examine the Abepura Prison from 09.00 – 14.00 WP. His team has conducted an investigation of the crime scene and examined a number of witnesses, including the commander of the guard and members of the guard who were on duty on July 29, 2022.
The team has also examined RM, the Abepura prison officer who is suspected of hitting You. “So we have followed up on the incident to be processed further,” he said.
Ayorbaba confirmed tha RM entered the Abepura prison in a drunken state. Ayorbaba emphasized that there would be sanctions against RM.
“There will be sanctions on that matter. We are still dissecting the minutes of the examination, it’s not only from me. But there will also be a deterrent effect on [officers] who consume liquor,” he said.
Although the prison has its own complexities of problems, Ayorbaba reminds all prison officers to continue to provide good guidance and service to inmates. “It is not allowed for any prison officer to carry out physical acts of violence, because such acts are prohibited by law,” he said. (*)
