Robbery Victim Named Suspect After Killing Two Robbers

TheIndonesia.co - The police has named victim in a street robbery case, or begal, in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara as suspect after the person killed two out of four robbers who attacked him.

Deputy chief of West Lombok Police Pol. Commissioner I Ketut Tamiana said 34-year-old S broke the law after he fought back against the robbers and ended up killing two of them.

“The begal victim violated article 338 of the Criminal Code for taking the life of another person and article 351 paragraph (3) of the Criminal Code on maltreatment that results in death,” Tamiana said on Tuesday, April 12, as reported by Suara.com.

The police also named two other robbers WH and HO as suspects in a theft with weight (curat) case.

WH and HO successfully fled the scene when S fought against the other two begal perpetrators who eventually died.

Police said they continued investigation, and it would be revealed in court whether S can be charged even though he acted in self-defense.

“It depends on the result of investigation. [S] can also be charged with articles 48 and 49 of the Criminal Code on overmacht or force majeure,” Tamiana explained.

The case started when S went to East Lombok to deliver food to his mother, but he was approached by two robbers on their motorcycle. S then attacked them with sharp weapon.

Another two robbers approached, but they were also taken down by S.

Police seized four sharp weapons and three motorcycles that are suspected to have been used by S and the begal perpetrators.

“One victim was against four robbers which resulted in the death of P and OWP. The other two robbers fled but have been detained.”

Previously, the bodies of P (30) and OWP (21) were found by residents in Jalan Raya Desa Ganti, East Praya subdistrict, on Sunday, April 10, at 1.30 a.m. Central Indonesian Time (WITA).

The both of them were residents of Belaka village in the subdistrict.

Street robbery, or more commonly known as begal, continues to be rampant in many areas across Indonesia. The crime is infamous for the use of violence committed by perpetrators.