September 4, 2025 | 02:46 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Authorities in Peru said on Tuesday, September 2, that an investigation is underway for the murder of Zetro Leonardo Purba, an Indonesian Embassy staffer in the country. According to the statement, authorities are looking into the possibility of this being a case of contract killing.
Zetro Leonardo Purba, 40, was a staff member at the Indonesian Embassy for Peru in Lima. He was shot three times on Monday night as he arrived by bicycle at his apartment building. Authorities stated that Purba was taken to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.
As reported by AP and Taipei News, Peru's Interior Minister Carlos Malaver told lawmakers that the attack was a "qualified homicide in the form of a contract killing." The police released footage from two surveillance cameras showing a helmet-wearing individual firing twice at Zetro, who then fell to the ground.
The images showed the suspect shooting the diplomat for the third time and fleeing on a motorcycle driven by another person. Malaver added that nothing was stolen from the Indonesian Embassy worker.
Zetro arrived in Peru five months prior and worked as a junior officer at the embassy. He had a wife and three children. “They were waiting for him and the bullets hit him in the head; they wanted to kill him,” Malaver said about the suspects.
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte's government is struggling to address the surge in homicides and extortions in the country. Official figures show that 6,041 people were killed between January and mid-August, the highest number in that period since 2017. Meanwhile, extortion complaints numbered 15,989 from January to July, a 28 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Extends Condolences
Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono has expressed condolences over the staffer's death. Through his Instagram account, @menluri, Sugiono uploaded a video during his working visit to China.
Sugiono said the government will provide assistance for Zetro Leonardo Purba's family. "We are very saddened and feel the loss. Zetro Purba was a consular officer at the Indonesian Embassy in Lima, a dedicated employee," said Sugiono.
He mentioned that he had conveyed his condolences to the late Zetro's wife, Prisilia, and the Indonesian Ambassador to Peru, Ricky Suhendar. He asked the late Zetro's wife to remain patient and resilient. He also instructed Ambassador Ricky Suhendar to oversee the investigation process into Zetro's death.
According to Sugiono, the government will assist in covering the education expenses of Zetro Leonardo Purba's three children.
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