Deadly fall of Indonesian immigration officer suggests foul play; South Korean national under investigation

INDONESIA: A grim incident unfolded in Ciledug, Tangerang, as an immigration officer plunged to his death from the 19th floor of an apartment building. What makes this situation even more mysterious is the discovery of a South Korean national inside the apartment, who was the last person seen with the deceased officer.

The victim, identified as Tri Fattah Firdaus, a 23-year-old immigration officer from Kalideres, West Jakarta, was found lifeless after his fall from the 19th floor of the apartment in the early hours of Friday (27 Oct). The first signs of the tragic event were heard by security personnel, who reported hearing the sound of shattered glass. Subsequently, they heard someone shouting from the 19th floor.

Shortly after, a loud noise resembling the impact of a solid object hitting the ground was heard, as shared by Director of Reskrimum of the Metro Jaya Police, Police Commissioner Hengki Haryadi, during a press briefing on the incident.

Director of General Crime of the Metro Jaya Regional Police, Commissioner (Pol) Hengki Haryadi at the Metro Jaya Regional Police Headquarters on Friday (27 Oct). (Photo: KOMPAS.com)

The police immediately launched an investigation, with initial suspicion pointing towards foul play. Officers have also taken into custody a South Korean national, who was allegedly inside the apartment when the immigration officer fell. This individual was reported to have locked himself inside the apartment and resisted arrest when security personnel attempted to communicate with him.

“The security and apartment management attempted to open the door, but the South Korean national inside used both a sharp weapon and hot water to threaten them. This clearly constitutes criminal activity,” explained Hengki.

The tense standoff between the authorities and the South Korean national lasted approximately five hours, due to the resistance he initially displayed. Negotiations eventually led to his arrest.

After conducting a thorough crime scene investigation, authorities have identified bloodstains and other evidence suggestive of criminal activity. The investigation will continue to examine these findings, including cross-matching the bloodstains to the South Korean national.

Hengki Haryadi has confirmed that the South Korean national is currently under investigation and is initially suspected of violent threats and misconduct.

“We have constructed the initial criminal act of threatening and harassment, while we delve further into the events leading to the officer’s fall from the 19th floor,” he stated.

Furthermore, the police are conducting an investigation into the circumstances of the immigration officer’s death, exploring possibilities of homicide, suicide, or accident. It has also come to light that the South Korean national had previous interactions with the immigration authorities, including deportation and a three-year detention.

The incident, which was confined to a room shared by the immigration officer and the South Korean national, has been captured by CCTV cameras in the building. The police are relying on these recordings as part of their ongoing investigation.

Hengki emphasized the utilization of scientific crime investigation methods to uncover the truth behind this tragedy and will apply a series of activities that establish cause and effect.

“In this case, there were only two individuals inside the apartment, so we are purely relying on scientific crime investigation. We are implementing an evidence-based approach and a circumstantial evidence chain of activities that will help us understand the cause and effect,” he noted.

To bolster their investigation, law enforcement agencies have assembled a multidisciplinary team from various fields, including forensic laboratories, forensic medicine, and the Indonesian Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (Inafis), all working collaboratively at the crime scene.