IDNAround – Putri Candrawathi was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Monday for her role in the murder of police officer Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, only a few hours after her husband Ferdy Sambo received the death sentence for becoming the mastermind of the murder.
The sentence came as a surprise to many as prosecutors last month recommended a prison sentence of only eight years for her.
Presiding Judge Wahyu Iman Santoso argued that not only had Putri failed to show any remorse, but she also attempted to portray herself as the victim in the case by accusing the slain officer as a rapist.
“The defendant doesn’t admit her crime, instead she portrays herself as the victim,” Judge Wahyu said, reading out the verdict at the South Jakarta District Court.
“The defendant has twisted facts and spoken dishonestly throughout hearings, complicating the court proceedings,” the judge added.
In several hearings, Putri, 49, claimed that she had been raped by Yosua, a police brigadier who was assigned as an assistant to Ferdy. The said accident occurred during a stay in the family’s house in the Central Java town of Magelang.
She also claimed, without offering evidence, that Yosua had threatened to kill her loved ones if she broke the silence about the rape.
Her revelation was different from the initial version of the surrounding circumstances when Yosua died at Ferdy’s official residence in South Jakarta on July 8 last year.
Investigators initially said that Yosua died in a shootout with fellow officer Richard Eliezer after being caught harassing Putri.
This version however wasn’t supported by convincing evidence and prompted the National Police to form a new investigation team which later established evidence that an unarmed Yosua was shot multiple times at close range by Richard on Ferdy’s order inside the house.
Ferdy served as the head of the National Police’s profession and security division before losing his rank as an inspector general and being dishonorably discharged by an ethics tribunal in the wake of the investigation.
Putri, a certified dentist, did nothing to prevent her husband from murdering Yosua despite plenty of opportunities to do so, said Judge Alimin Ribut Sujono.
Instead, the defendant reminded Ferdy Sambo about wearing a pair of black gloves to leave no traces and making sure that security cameras around the scene didn’t record anything, Judge Alimin said.
Putri also asked the unsuspecting victim, the shooter, and two assistants to move from her house to Ferdy’s official residence nearby and she immediately locked herself inside her bedroom, all while knowing in advance that Ferdy would come shortly and order the killing, the judge said.
Yosua’s mother Rosti Simanjuntak had a word for the defendant just before the sentencing hearing.
“She is a human with a devil’s heart. Putri Candrawathi is a two-faced she-devil!” Rosti told reporters.
The mother has diligently followed the court hearing of Ferdy and Putri throughout the day, sitting on the front row while carrying the photograph of his slain son.
The verdict hearing will continue on Tuesday for two other defendants, Brigadier Ricky Rizal and Ferdy’s personal assistant Kuat Ma’ruf, both have been indicted as accessories in the crime.
On Wednesday, the accused shooter Richard will hear his verdict.
Related News: Ferdy Sambo Sentenced to Death for Murdering Officer