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Murder of Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat

SOLVED2022Jakarta, Indonesia3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
File:Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat.jpg
File:Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat.jpg — Credit: edukasi.murianews.com · Public domain

Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, a 27-year-old Indonesian National Police officer sometimes referred to as Brigadier J, was shot on 8 July 2022 at approximately 17:00 Western Indonesian Time at the Jakarta residence of Inspector General Ferdy Sambo, head of internal affairs for the Indonesian National Police and Hutabarat's former boss. Hutabarat had travelled to the residence from Magelang along with Sambo, another subordinate named Richard Eliezer, and Sambo's wife, Putri Candrawathi. According to the case established at trial, Sambo ordered Eliezer to shoot Hutabarat after alleging Hutabarat had sexually harassed Candrawathi. Hutabarat was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Authorities initially described the death as the result of a gunfight in which Eliezer shot Hutabarat in self-defense, and news of the shooting was not made public until 11 July 2022.

Hutabarat's family disputed the official account after discovering bruises, facial incisions, finger injuries, and a burn mark on his body when a casket was briefly opened in Jambi. Family members alleged police intimidation, including officers surrounding their home, and questioned inconsistencies in the official narrative, such as Hutabarat missing all seven shots he was said to have fired despite being a trained marksman. Reports also emerged of deleted phone data, missing CCTV footage, and a missing mobile phone. The controversy prompted national police chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo to take over the investigation and form a special team including the National Human Rights Commission. Sambo was suspended on 18 July 2022. Hutabarat's body was exhumed on 27 July 2022 for a second, independently scrutinized autopsy, which on 22 August 2022 found all wounds were gunshot wounds with no torture marks.

Between August and September 2022, murder charges of premeditated murder were filed against Eliezer, Kuat Ma'ruf (Candrawathi's personal assistant), Brigadier Ricky Rizal, Sambo, and Candrawathi. Separately, six former high-ranking officers — Hendra Kurniawan, Irfan Widyanto, Agus Nurpatria, Arif Rachman Arifin, Baiquni Wibowo, and Chuck Putranto — were charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly fabricating events and manipulating evidence.

The murder trial began on 17 October 2022 in South Jakarta District Court. In January 2023, the court rejected claims that Hutabarat had raped or had an affair with Candrawathi, with prosecutors saying Candrawathi had invented the story. On 13 February 2023, Sambo was found guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced to death. Candrawathi received 20 years, Ma'ruf 15 years, and Rizal 13 years; Eliezer, who cooperated as a justice collaborator, received 18 months. On 8 August 2023, the Supreme Court reduced Sambo's sentence to life imprisonment and shortened the other sentences. In the obstruction of justice trial, Kurniawan and Nurpatria received three and two years respectively, Wibowo and Putranto one year each, and Widyanto and Arifin ten months each.

Key facts

Victims
Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat
Date
2022
Location
Jakarta, Indonesia
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2022-07-08

    Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat is shot at Inspector General Ferdy Sambo's Jakarta residence.

  2. 2022-07-09

    Hutabarat's body arrives at his family's home in Jambi; family alleges restricted access to the casket.

  3. 2022-07-11

    News of the shooting is publicly disclosed; family buries Hutabarat without a police ceremony amid allegations of intimidation.

  4. 2022-07-18

    Family's lawyer reports an allegation of premeditated murder to police; Sambo is suspended.

  5. 2022-07-22

    Small public gathering held in Jakarta demanding justice for Hutabarat.

  6. 2022-07-27

    Hutabarat's body is exhumed for a second, independently scrutinized autopsy.

  7. 2022-08-04

    Richard Eliezer is charged with murder.

  8. 2022-08-07

    Kuat Ma'ruf is charged with premeditated murder.

  9. 2022-08-08

    Ricky Rizal is charged with premeditated murder.

  10. 2022-08-09

    Ferdy Sambo is taken into custody and charged with premeditated murder.

  11. 2022-08-19

    Putri Candrawathi is reported to face charges of premeditated murder and murder.

  12. 2022-08-22

    Second autopsy findings show all wounds were gunshot wounds with no torture marks; 24 officers are transferred over code-of-ethics violations.

  13. 2022-08-26

    Sambo is dishonorably discharged from the police force.

  14. 2022-09-02

    Six high-ranking officers are charged with obstruction of justice.

  15. 2022-10-17

    Murder trial begins in South Jakarta District Court.

  16. 2023-01

    Court rejects claims that Hutabarat raped or had an affair with Candrawathi.

  17. 2023-02-13

    Sambo is convicted of premeditated murder and sentenced to death.

  18. 2023-02-15

    Richard Eliezer is sentenced to 18 months in prison as a justice collaborator.

  19. 2023-02-27

    Six former officers are sentenced for obstruction of justice.

  20. 2023-04-12

    South Jakarta District Court rejects defendants' appeals.

  21. 2023-08-08

    Supreme Court reduces Sambo's sentence to life imprisonment and shortens co-defendants' sentences.

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People

  • Baiquni Wibowo

    CONVICTED

    Former Police Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to one year.

  • Ricky Rizal Wibowo

    CONVICTED

    Bodyguard, convicted of premeditated murder; sentenced to 13 years, later reduced to eight years.

  • Irfan Widyanto

    CONVICTED

    Former Adjunct Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to 10 months.

  • Hendra Kurniawan

    CONVICTED

    Former Brigadier General convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to three years.

  • Arif Rachman Arifin

    CONVICTED

    Former Adjunct Chief Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to 10 months.

  • Richard Eliezer Pudihang Lumiu

    CONVICTED

    Convicted for his role in the shooting but received a reduced 18-month sentence for cooperating as a justice collaborator.

  • Kuat Ma'ruf

    CONVICTED

    Candrawathi's personal assistant, convicted of premeditated murder; sentenced to 15 years, later reduced to 10 years.

  • Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat

    VICTIM

    27-year-old Indonesian National Police officer shot and killed on 8 July 2022 at Ferdy Sambo's residence.

  • Chuck Putranto

    CONVICTED

    Former Police Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to one year.

  • Ferdy Sambo

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of premeditated murder; sentenced to death on 13 February 2023, later reduced to life imprisonment on 8 August 2023.

  • Agus Nurpatria

    CONVICTED

    Former Chief Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to two years.

  • Putri Candrawathi

    CONVICTED

    Convicted of premeditated murder; sentenced to 20 years, later reduced to 10 years by the Supreme Court.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • File:Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat.jpg

    portrait victim

    File:Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat.jpg

    Credit: edukasi.murianews.com · Public domain · Source

Places

Jakarta, Indonesia

-6.2551, 106.8315

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
Indonesian police officer Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, 27, was shot dead on 8 July 2022 at the Jakarta home of his superior, Inspector General Ferdy Sambo. After a cover-up attempt and public outcry, Sambo, his wife, and three others were convicted of premeditated murder, and six former officers were convicted of obstruction of justice.
Where did the murder happen?
Jakarta, Indonesia.
Who was convicted?
Baiquni Wibowo (Former Police Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to one year.), Ricky Rizal Wibowo (Bodyguard, convicted of premeditated murder; sentenced to 13 years, later reduced to eight years.), Irfan Widyanto (Former Adjunct Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to 10 months.), Hendra Kurniawan (Former Brigadier General convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to three years.), Arif Rachman Arifin (Former Adjunct Chief Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to 10 months.), Richard Eliezer Pudihang Lumiu (Convicted for his role in the shooting but received a reduced 18-month sentence for cooperating as a justice collaborator.), Kuat Ma'ruf (Candrawathi's personal assistant, convicted of premeditated murder; sentenced to 15 years, later reduced to 10 years.), Chuck Putranto (Former Police Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to one year.), Ferdy Sambo (Convicted of premeditated murder; sentenced to death on 13 February 2023, later reduced to life imprisonment on 8 August 2023.), Agus Nurpatria (Former Chief Commissioner convicted of obstruction of justice; sentenced to two years.), and Putri Candrawathi (Convicted of premeditated murder; sentenced to 20 years, later reduced to 10 years by the Supreme Court.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in Indonesia

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICMurder of Nofriansyah Yosua HutabaratWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSThe general, his wife and their dead bodyguard: a suspicious shooting grips a nationThe Sydney Morning Herald · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSGeneral charged with murder in new twist to case of bodyguardThe Age · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 07, 2026