Jakarta. A district court in Cirebon, West Java, commenced a hearing on Wednesday to review the conviction of Saka Tatal, one of the eight defendants convicted in the alleged 2016 murders of Vina Dewi Arsita and her boyfriend, Muhammad Rizky Rudiana. The hearing follows strong indications of a miscarriage of justice.

Saka, who was recently released from prison after serving half of his eight-year sentence, is seeking a judicial review. He argues that his conviction was based on false testimonies and fabricated evidence.

In the opening remarks, his attorneys called for the state to "restore and rehabilitate Saka Tatal’s reputation, rights, and personal integrity" by acquitting him of all charges and overturning the murder conviction.

Saka is one of eight convicts in the murder case, with the remaining seven serving life imprisonment. Recently, all eight retracted their previous confessions, claiming they were made under duress during police interrogations eight years ago. Saka was the first to request a judicial review.

The defense presented autopsy photos indicating that the wounds that potentially led to the couple’s deaths were significantly different from those described in the prosecutors' indictment during the 2016 trial. The lawyers also presented media clips of National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo acknowledging the lack of "scientific crime investigation" in handling the murder case.

Public outcry has grown in recent months as the convicts alleged torture during the investigation. Initially, police identified 11 suspects, with three remaining at large. Recently, police arrested Pegi Setiawan, one of the three fugitives, but later announced that he was the last person sought for the murders, seemingly forgetting about the two other fugitives. Pegi was ultimately cleared of charges during his pre-trial motion, further fueling controversies surrounding the case.

The convicts gained additional momentum last week when a key witness admitted to perjury, stating that he had been instructed to make false statements by police officer Rudiana, the father of Vina’s boyfriend. 

The defense lawyers argue that Vina and her boyfriend may have died from a motorcycle accident, as suggested by a preliminary investigation by the traffic police.

Earlier this week, Officer Rudiana issued a reprimand against the key witness, who has now turned against him, and criticized a politician who posted videos of the witness’s latest admission on YouTube. Rudiana maintains that his son and Vina were brutally murdered by members of a motorcycle gang in Cirebon on August 27, 2016.

Rudiana, a low-ranking officer assigned to the narcotics unit of the Cirebon police at the time of his son’s death, is now under public scrutiny for overstepping his authority by involving himself in the homicide investigation, potentially causing bias.

Recent witness statements have led to public opinion that a policeman, angered by his son’s death, may have forced eight innocent people to serve lengthy prison sentences.

The seven convicts serving life imprisonment include Jaya, 23; Supriyanto, 20; Eka Sandi, 24; Hadi Saputra, 23; Eko Ramadani, 27; Sudirman, 21; and Rivaldi Aditya Wardana, 21. Saka, who was a minor during the trial, was sentenced to eight years in prison and has been released for good behavior after serving half of his sentence.