Jakarta, MINA – The driver of a police armored vehicle admitted to running over 21-year-old ride-hailing driver Affan Kurniawan during a protest in Jakarta, citing chaotic conditions that obscured his vision at the time of the tragedy, according to Jakarta Globe.
During a session held by the National Police’s Internal Affairs Division (Propam), the driver stated that smoke inside the vehicle and debris on the road prevented him from seeing the victim clearly.
“The road was full of rocks, there was smoke inside the vehicle. I only focused straight ahead,” he said, acknowledging that the tense situation left him under intense pressure.
Affan Kurniawan was fatally struck during an Aug. 28 demonstration over lawmakers’ perks, sparking nationwide protests calling for police accountability and crowd-control reforms. Clashes have since erupted in several cities, including Jakarta, Surabaya, Malang, and Bengkulu, involving incidents of arson, looting, and the use of tear gas and water cannons.
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Inspector General Abdul Karim, head of Propam, announced Friday that seven Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers were found guilty of violating the police code of ethics and placed in 20-day special detention.
“They were proven to have breached the professional code of ethics,” Karim told reporters, adding that the disciplinary process is under direct orders from President Prabowo Subianto and National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo.
Jakarta Police Chief Asep Edi Suheri revealed the names of the seven detained officers: Cosmas K. Gae, M. Rohyani, Rohmat, Danang, Mardin, Yohanes David, and Jana Edi. He emphasized that transparency and professionalism remain top priorities in handling the case.
Images released from the internal hearing showed the officers in orange shirts being questioned by investigators.
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Despite these measures, protests are expected to escalate. Student organizations have announced plans for a large-scale national demonstration on September 1, demanding justice for Kurniawan and cuts to lawmakers’ allowances, a contentious issue fueling ongoing public outrage. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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