Jayapura, Jubi – Recently, Roy Marthen Howay, one of the four suspects in the murder and mutilation of four Nduga Residents in Mimika Regency on August 20, 2022, who is on the run, made a statement in a video about the case.
Papua Legislative Council member Laurenzus Kadepa said the police must verify Roy Marthen Howay‘s testimony. Police should not ignore it or consider it as twisting the facts as it differed from the results of the investigation.
“I have watched the video circulating online of Roy Howay. Indeed, his testimony is different from the results of the police investigation. I think this should not be ignored, it needs to be probed,” said Laurenzus Kadepa when contacted by Jubi on Thursday, October 1, 2022.
Previously, the police stated that the motive for the Mimika murder was criminal because the perpetrators took the victim’s money. Initial information about the planned transaction of firearms and ammunition was just a fabrication by the perpetrators.
“But Roy’s testimony is different. Are there other motives behind the murder?” said Kadepa.
He said that apart from the investigation by the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), there needed to be another independent team to follow up on the new fact presented by Roy Howay. He also hoped that Komnas HAM would immediately finalize the results of its investigation into the Mimika murder case.
In the video, Roy Marthen Howay stated he did not know anything about the murder. He was only told to look for buyers of firearms by someone he called Jack or Mr. Lala, and was promised a reward.
After getting a prospective buyer, Roy Howay drove them to the location and immediately left using a motorcycle after dropping them. Roy said he did not know what happened after that.
Roy Marthen Howay also said he could have turned himself in. However, he was worried about his safety. (*)
