REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BANDUNG — Convicted murderer of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib, Pollycarpus Budihari Prijanto officially free after finishing his parole on Wednesday (August 29). He was accompanied by his wife when visited Class I Bandung Correctional Center to take letter of termination of guidance as a letter stated that he is free from detention period.
“I am very happy, at this time I no longer have any burden,” said Pollycarpus on Wednesday (August 29).
Pollycarpus also revealed his plan after officially declared as a free man. He said would like to start again his career in the aviation world.
“I will return to the world of aviation, at PT Gatari and there is plan to acquire an airline company and there is plan to bring light helicopters for Indonesia,” Pollycarpus explained.
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Polycarpus, a former Garuda Indonesia pilot was sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2006 for his role in the death of the prominent human rights campaigner during a flight from Jakarta to Singapore on Sept. 6, 2004. He was granted parole by the government in 2014.
However, out of his 14-year sentence, Pollycarpus only served eight years in Sukamiskin Penitentiary in Bandung and was released on parole in November 2014. There has been mounting pressure from the public and rights activists for law enforcement to prosecute the mastermind, as despite him being sentenced, the mastermind of Munir's murder case remained unclear.
Activists have also called on the government to establish a new fact-finding team to investigate individuals allegedly involved in the murder, who many believe to be important people, as alleged in a 2005 investigative document by the murder case's fact-finding team. Meanwhile, government asked people to respect legal process that has been going on.
“Everyone must respect the legal process,” said Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung.
According to him, Pollycarpus has been convicted and finished his legal process related to Munir’s murder case. He said government as executive could not intervene in existing legal issues. Because, the three existing institutions, namely the judiciary, executive, and legislative, are each independent.
"Those whose names as executive may not intervene in legal matters, because this is truly the authority of the judiciary," Pramono added.
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