Police say businessman masterminded killing of reporters who were helping local people in dispute with his company

This article is more than 10 months old

This article is more than 10 months old

An Indonesian palm oil executive has been arrested for allegedly ordering the killing two activist journalists who were mediating a land dispute between his company and local residents.

Maraden Sianipar’s body was found last week in a ditch near a palm plantation in Labuhan Batu in North Sumatra province. Police found the remains of his colleague Maratua Siregar in the same area a day later. Both had been stabbed multiple times.

On Saturday, North Sumatra authorities said they had arrested businessman Wibharry Padmoasmolo for allegedly masterminding the plot by paying nearing $3,000 to four men to commit the killings.

Padmoasmolo owns a firm that produces palm oil, a widely used vegetable oil found in everything from soap to chocolate. The two victims were advocating for locals who were in dispute with Padmoasmolo’s company, police said.

The killings were aimed at stopping the pair’s involvement, according to authorities, who added that Padmoasmolo has denied owning the firm under questioning.

In all five people have been arrested in connection with the murder plot and police say they’re searching for several suspects still at large.

“We are looking for the three, while the five other suspects have been detained for further questioning,” said North Sumatra police chief, Agus Andrianto.

Sianipar and Maratua worked together for a local online news portal before going freelance in 2017.

A friend of Siregar said they had recently become known for their activism in land disputes – a common source of conflict across resource-rich Indonesia.

The friend said Siregar was active in an organisation that advocated for residents in the dispute.

Many cases of violence against journalists in Indonesia go unsolved, according to the Independent Journalists Alliance, which has reported at least two dozen cases this year alone.

Indonesia is ranked 124th out of 180 countries on the 2019 world press freedom index published by Reporters Without Borders.