The Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) Desk of the Papuan Tabernacle Church (KINGMI Papua) has documented the extra-judicial killing of a Papuan theology student in Waroki Villlage, Nabire Barat District of Nabire regency. On 21 October 2018 at 08.00 pm, Daud Oyomi (27) left his house with the motorcycle to buy water. Four military members in civil clothing were standing at junction. As Daud Oyomi passed the four military members, one of the soldiers suddenly draw his gun and fired a shot at Daud. The bullet hit Daud in the chest (see image below), causing his instant death on the spot. The reason for the assault remains unclear.
As local residents heard the shot, they left their house and approached the site of crime. While three military members were able to flee, Staff Sergeant Surya Ganda Putra Silalahi, a member of the 1705 Paniai military district command, tried in vain to escape with Daud’s motorcycle. Unable to start the engine, Sergeant Surya was separated from the other military members and hid behind Daud Oyomi’s house. Around 8.30 pm a group of villagers found Sergeant Surya and subsequently killed him in a mob attack, cutting his throat.
At 9.00 pm members of the Police mobile brigade (Brimob) the crowd control unit of Nabire District police came to Waroki village and brought the bodies for a post-mortem examination to the Siriwini general hospital in Nabire. At 10.00 pm the head of Nabire district police and the head of the local military command arrived in Waroki Village and talked with the villagers to calm down the situation and collect information on the circumstances of the killing.
During the visit, three young villagers named Soloman Webi (18), Vedius Jadau (15) and Kores Voi (19) wanted to see Daud Oyomi’s body at the Siriwini Hospital. When Brimob members saw the three friends looking for a vehicle, they offered to drop the boys at the Siriwini hospital. However, instead of bringing Soloman Webi, Vedius Jadau and Kores Voi to the hospital, the police officers detained them at the Nabire district police station as suspects in relation to the killing of Staff Sergeant Surya. On 22 October, around 11.30 am, joint security forces brought Daud Oyomi’s body back to Waroki village and handed it over to the family. They also arrested a further villager (name is currently unknown) and detained him at the Nabire district police station as suspect in the murder case.
The Head of XVII/Cenderawasih Military Area Command Information Department, Colonel Muhammad Aidi, stated in a public interview that seven villagers under the influence of alcohol attacked Staff Sergeant Surya Ganda Putra Silalahi with machetes and knives. According to Colonel Aidi, staff sergeant Surya killed Daud Oyomi with his pistol in an attempt to defend himself from the mob attack.
