The house of a Tribata TV journalist, in Karo Regency, North Sumatra, caught fire on Thursday, June 27 2024. Because of the burning, the journalist, his wife, children and grandchildren died.
The results of an investigation by the North Sumatra Journalist Safety Committee found a number of facts.
The journalist's house fire occurred after the victim reported on gambling on Captain BOM Ginting street, Padang Mas Village, Kabanjahe District, Karo Regency, North Sumatra.
The report stated that there was involvement of a TNI officer in the village's gambling practices. The problem started when one of journalist's friend, a member of a mass organization asked the journalist to get his name in getting the weekly gambling allowance. He was ignored but in the end he was still given the money.
Then he provoked journalists to write news related to gambling activities. The victim then wrote a report about a gambling location near the military officer dormitory.
The victim also wrote the person's full name and made a status on his facebook account.
After the news was published, the military officer contacted the victim's editor in chief and requested that the news be immediately takedown. Then the editor-in-chief of Tribrata TV contacted the journalist and asked him to be alert and take care of himself.
The journalist said to his friend that he was worried because of the news he had made. The journalist also received a warning not to go back home.
The victim stay several nights at a friend's house, and returned home on Wednesday evening, June 26 2024. The fire occurred on Thursday at 3.00 in the morning and destroyed the journalist's house.