Mimika – The Papua Regional Police named 16 suspects in the burning of an airplane and hostage-taking of Susi Air pilot Philip Mark Merthens (37) which occurred in Paro District, Nduga Regency, Papua Mountains. 15 suspects were included in the wanted list or DPO.
Director of General Criminal Investigation of the Papua Police as well as Head of the Cartenz 2023 Peace Ops Kombes Faizal Ramadhani explained that the case title was carried out by the Nduga Police Criminal Investigation Unit and then submitted to the Papua Police.
“The results of the title case that we did a few days ago, we have included 16 people in the wanted list (DPO) and have been named as suspects,” he said in Mimika, Monday (3/27/2023).
Faizal said that the determination of the suspect was made on the basis of evidence and witness testimony. One of the evidence used was a video of the burning of an airplane distributed by Sebby Sambom who claimed to be a spokesman for TPNPB.
“There are some (from the video) and there are some that we identified through the testimony of five witnesses,” said Faizal.
Regarding the names of the suspects, Faizal did not mention in detail and only mentioned the name Egianus Kogoya.
Nduga Police Chief AKBP Rio Alexander Panalewen stated that the Nduga Police is trying to complete the police report on the case as soon as possible so that the process can be completed immediately.
Currently the entire legal process for the case has been submitted to the Papua Police and forwarded to the Cartenz Peace Task Force.
“From the Nduga Police, the only activity is the initial mindik (administration of investigation) for the burning of the plane and we submitted it to the Polda,” said Rio.
Previously, a Susi Air plane was burned at the Paro District Airstrip, Nduga, on February 7, 2023. It is strongly suspected that the arsonist was the Armed Criminal Group (KKB) led by Egianus Kogoya.
