On 12 January 2025, Mrs Kesya Irene Yola Lestaluhu, a 20-year-old woman, was found murdered in Saoka Beach, Sorong, Papua Barat Daya Province. The perpetrator, Mr Agung Suyono Ponidi, a 23-year-old member of the Indonesian Navy, confessed to stabbing the victim multiple times after engaging in sexual intercourse with him. The military police conducted a re-construction of the murder on 27 February 2025. The incident highlights the persistent issue of gender-based violence in West Papua.
On the night of 12 January 2025, Mrs Lestaluhu visited a nightclub with her friend where she met Navy officer Agung Suyono Ponidi for the first time. At approximately 04:30 am, Mrs Lestaluhu and Officer Agung left the nightclub in a black Toyota Innova, while her friend S went home separately. After leaving the nightclub, they continued drinking at the beach in Sorong. Following this, the two proceeded to a secluded area where they engaged in oral sex inside the vehicle.
However, Officer Agung became violent after Mrs Lestaluhu refused to have sexual intercourse, causing her to flee into the forest. He then searched for her, calling out her name, and convinced her to return. After engaging in sexual intercourse, Officer Agung admitted he feared that Mrs Lestaluhu might report him to his superiors. In a premeditated act, he retrieved a knife from his car and stabbed her 27 times on her back and chest before dragging her body to the beach, where he partially buried it in the sand and on the rocks. The body was later discovered at 09:45 am on Saoka Beach, Sorong.
The case gained significant attention, leading to further investigation by the authorities. On 15 January 2025, the Navy Criminal Investigation Unit of the 14th Naval Area Command identified Mr Agung as the prime suspect. As the investigation progressed, the Manokwari Military Prosecutor’s Office ordered a re-enactment of the crime scene on 25 February 2025 to verify the suspect’s testimony and reconstruct the events leading to the murder. The reconstruction was conducted on 27 February 2025 at Saoka Beach under tight security observation (see photo on top, source: Jubi).
