JAKARTA: The former head of internal affairs for Indonesia's national police force has been sentenced to death for premeditating his bodyguard's killing on Jul 8 last year.
Ferdy Sambo, 50, was also found guilty for obstruction of justice by ordering the removal of CCTV footage at his official residence in South Jakarta, said Wahyu Iman Santoso, the head of the three panel-judge.
The former two-star general was 'legally and convincingly guilty', he said while reading out the sentence adding that his actions had tarnished the police force's reputation.
Ferdy had caused widespread public unrest and should not have committed the murder as a law enforcement officer, Wahyu said in the judgment which was broadcast live on local television today.
South Jakarta District Court also rejected the defense's argument that the bodyguard Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat had sexually harassed Ferdy's wife due to lack of evidence.
The court found Ferdy had ordered another bodyguard to shoot and kill Nofriansyah, where he also fired a gun at the victim during the incident at his residence.
On Aug 9, last year, Indonesia police revealed Ferdy had also fired pistol shots randomly into a wall as if a gunfight had taken place.
He was dismissed from the police force on Aug 25, last year, while his wife, Putri Candrawathi and three other aides were also charged with premeditated murder. – BERNAMA