Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — A 39-year-old junior diplomat from Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was found dead under mysterious circumstances in a boarding room in the Menteng district of Central Jakarta on Tuesday morning, July 8.
The man, identified by his initials ADP, was a native of Sleman in the Yogyakarta Special Region and a graduate of Gadjah Mada University (UGM). He served as a junior functional diplomat and was reportedly involved in handling cases related to the protection of Indonesian citizens abroad.
Police were alerted to the incident at approximately 8:30 a.m. local time following a report from a local resident. Upon arrival, authorities found the victim lying lifeless on his bed at a boarding house in Central Jakarta.
ADP was found with his head wrapped in duct tape and his body was covered with a blanket. The case has drawn significant public attention due to several unusual details at the scene and the lack of a clear cause of death.
According to Menteng Police Chief Commissioner Rezha Rahandi, the room was locked from the inside when police arrived. “There was no damage to the door or windows, and the preliminary external examination of the body revealed no signs of physical assault,” Rezha said.
Police also stated that nothing appeared to be missing from the room, ruling out theft or robbery as a motive. According to the caretaker and local residents, the boarding house also had a double security system and could only be accessed by registered tenants.
However, investigators have not yet ruled out all the possibility. “We cannot confirm whether this was a homicide or not. There were no visible injuries and no missing items. The investigation is ongoing,” Rezha added.
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ADP was last in contact with his wife on Monday night at around 9 p.m. local time. When she failed to reach him the next morning, she grew concerned.
After multiple unanswered calls, she asked the boarding house caretaker to check on him. The caretaker then alerted the neighborhood head, who subsequently contacted the local police.
“The caretaker went to the neighborhood head, who then called the community officer, and that’s when we arrived at the scene,” said Menteng Police Chief Commissioner Rezha Rahandi.
The exact cause of death remains undetermined. Police have transferred the body to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) for an autopsy. In addition, investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and collecting evidence from the room.
“We’re still waiting for the autopsy results from RSCM,” Rezha added.
Judha Nugraha, Director General for the Protection of Indonesian Citizens at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the death and expressed condolences to the family. He stated that the Ministry is fully cooperating with the ongoing police investigation.
(Raidi/Agung)