PRIME NEWS POST

The INDONESIAN (Medan)— The death of Jopi Sembiring, a resident of Dusun II, Jalan Sei Mencirim, Paya Geli Village, Sunggal District, Deli Serdang Regency, who was being held in custody over alleged online gambling, has raised serious questions from his family.

Jopi died on Sunday, 16 August 2026, after being taken to Bhayangkara Type II Hospital in Medan. His family stated they still struggle to accept the news, as Jopi had spoken via video call just hours before the notification and appeared to be in good health.

According to the Handover of Deceased Document issued by Sunggal Police Station under Medan Metropolitan Police, Jopi Sembiring bin Deli Sembiring was pronounced dead at approximately 4:30 p.m. Western Indonesian Time on 16 August 2026 at Bhayangkara Type II Hospital.

Records show he was male, born in Medan on 8 March 1998, aged 28. The body was handed over to his elder sister, Elysa Br. Sembiring. The handover was conducted by IPTU Wanter Simanungkali, S.H., witnessed by Bripka Abdi Sinuraya and other officers.

The family grows increasingly suspicious of the timeline, as their last communication with Jopi occurred only hours before his death was announced. Sundari, a family spokesperson, told reporters Jopi had made a video call at 1:00 p.m. that same Sunday.

“He was still calling us, Sir, at 1 p.m. He was fine, even on video call. Then around 4 p.m., we received word from the Babinsa of Paya Geli Village that Jopi was at Bhayangkara Hospital and had been declared dead,” Sundari said on Tuesday, 18 August 2026.

The same account was reported by IDEL NEWS on 18 August 2026, noting the family first learned of his death around 4:00 p.m. The short interval between his last contact and the death notification is one of the family’s primary concerns.

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Injuries on Body Raise Further Questions

Questions extend beyond the timeline. After the body was returned home and washed, the family discovered marks they described as unusual.

“We saw burn marks resembling cigarette burns on his back. There were also bruises on both sides of his body,” Sundari stated. IDEL NEWS previously reported the same details.

The family emphasizes these observations do not constitute proof of abuse or torture. The cause of the injuries and any link to his death must be confirmed through medical examination, a forensic medical report (visum), and — if necessary — an autopsy. It is precisely because of these findings that the family is calling for a transparent and impartial investigation.

Unclear Legal Status of Co-Arrestees

Jopi was reportedly arrested by Sunggal Police alongside three others in connection with the alleged online gambling case. According to the family:

– Romi and Fatil, both residents of Sunggal, have since been released.
– Amrih remains in custody over a separate alleged narcotics offense involving methamphetamine.

The family questions the legal process applied to each — why two were released, Amrih detained on different charges, and Jopi died while in state custody. These details remain to be officially confirmed by authorities.

Another point of contention concerns the mobile phone cited as evidence in the online gambling case. The family claims the device did not belong to Jopi but to Amrih, and demands clarity on what evidence linked Jopi to the device and the alleged activity.

The family states their inquiries are not intended to obstruct legal proceedings but to seek clear justification for naming Jopi a suspect and for the evidence used against him. If the phone was not his, they urge this fact to be acknowledged in any legal review.

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Full Account Demanded from Arrest to Death

The circumstances are compounded by the fact that Jopi died while in state custody on an online gambling charge. While two co-detainees were released and a third held on unrelated charges, Jopi died under state supervision.

The family calls for explanation not only of the medical cause of death but of every stage of the process: his arrest, detention at Medan Class I Detention Center, the onset of his medical emergency, and his transfer to Bhayangkara Hospital. They urge authorities not to close the case simply by returning the body.

They have submitted 12 specific questions for investigation:

1. What was the official medical cause of death?
2. What was Jopi’s condition when last checked by officers?
3. When did his health begin to deteriorate?
4. Who provided first assistance?
5. Why was he transferred to Bhayangkara Type II Hospital?
6. Has a forensic medical examination or autopsy been conducted?
7. What is the medical explanation for observed bruises?
8. Are cigarette-burn marks confirmed, and what caused them?
9. What is the legal status of Romi, Fatil, and Amrih?
10. Whose mobile phone was used as evidence, and what is its legal standing?
11. On what legal basis and evidence was Jopi linked to the online gambling activity?
12. What supervision protocols were in place during his detention?

Call for Transparent, Independent Inquiry

No official explanation has yet been provided regarding the cause of death or the injuries described by the family. As of press time, Medan Class I Detention Center and Bhayangkara Hospital had not responded to inquiries. The family calls on Sunggal Police, Medan Metropolitan Police, the Detention Center, and related agencies to provide open, accountable answers.

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They urge full legal proceedings if negligence, procedural violations, or criminal acts are found. Conversely, if the official inquiry concludes death was due to natural causes unrelated to violence, they ask that this conclusion be presented publicly and based on verifiable evidence.

For the family, the priority is not assigning blame — it is establishing the truth of what happened to Jopi Sembiring before his death. Independent medical examination, full transparency, and impartial investigation are essential both to provide closure and to prevent public speculation.

Editor’s Note: Allegations of burns, bruises, phone ownership, and co-arrestees’ status are based on family statements and require official confirmation. This report does not conclude that abuse or torture occurred before findings from an independent medical, forensic, and official investigation are released.