Suspicion clouds death of youth activist after protest over NTB corruption case

The death of Ilham, a student activist from Bima who had been at the forefront of protests demanding progress in a high-profile corruption case in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), has drawn renewed public attention following a detailed chronology that has deepened suspicions among his family and fellow activists.

Ilham, a resident of Nata Village, Palibelo District, Bima Regency, was known as the field coordinator of the NTB Youth Against Forum (FPNM), a group that had repeatedly criticised the alleged misuse of the provincial government’s Unforeseen Expenditure (BTT) funds, estimated at between Rp 484 billion and Rp 500 billion (US$29-31 million) in the 2025 fiscal year.

The funds, which are legally intended for emergency and disaster-related needs, have been suspected by activists of being diverted through politically driven spending and legislative proposal schemes.

Despite months of public pressure, law enforcement agencies have yet to summon Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, fuelling accusations of selective enforcement and institutional reluctance to confront senior political figures.

On Thursday, 4 December 2025, Ilham spent the day preparing and leading a demonstration outside the NTB Regional Police headquarters in Mataram.

During the protest, he openly urged investigators to immediately summon and question the governor, warning that continued delays would only reinforce public suspicion that powerful figures were being shielded.

In his speech, Ilham accused police of allowing the BTT case to stagnate while only lower-level actors were scrutinised.

According to accounts from fellow activists, the demonstration concluded in the late afternoon.

That evening, Ilham was reported to have attended a meeting at a hotel in central Mataram after being invited by the head of a non-governmental organisation. Details of the meeting remain unclear, but colleagues said it was related to ongoing advocacy surrounding the BTT case and plans to escalate pressure on authorities.

After leaving the meeting, Ilham travelled alone on his motorcycle.

Several hours later, in the early hours of Friday, 5 December 2025, Ilham was found dead in what police initially described as a single-vehicle traffic accident.

At around 4:00 am, Ilham’s family in Bima received a phone call from one of his friends in Mataram informing them of his death. The family was told that Ilham had been involved in an accident, though no detailed explanation was immediately provided.

Doubts emerged soon after the family received photographs of Ilham’s body. His uncle, Salahuddin, said the images showed no visible injuries consistent with a serious road accident, such as abrasions, fractures or head trauma.

The motorcycle Ilham had been riding was also reported to be largely undamaged, with only minor scratches. “There were no signs of a crash, no major wounds, and the motorcycle was intact. That is why we suspect this was not a normal accident,” Salahuddin said.

He added that the family observed bruising concentrated on Ilham’s abdomen and torso, which they considered unusual for a motorcycle collision, further strengthening suspicions that his death may not have been accidental.

In the days following the incident, questions surrounding Ilham’s death widened. The Regional Executive of the National Student League for Democracy in West Nusa Tenggara (EW-LMND NTB) formally reported the case to the Mataram Police Traffic Accident Unit three days after the incident.

The organisation said the delay was due to initial informal fact-finding conducted by fellow activists and family members before deciding that an official report was necessary.

Arif Haryadin, chair of EW-LMND NTB, said the group had initially received information indicating that Ilham’s death was a single-vehicle accident, but stressed that this conclusion was based only on limited early observations.

He emphasised that Ilham’s activities prior to the incident, including his participation in a protest outside the NTB Regional Police headquarters on the night before his death, warranted closer scrutiny.

Ilham’s active digital footprint highlighting alleged budget misuse had also drawn significant public attention, Arif said, making a comprehensive investigation essential to address public concerns.

Public debate intensified further after photographs from the scene circulated widely on social media. An analysis published by Media Dinamika Global examined the available images and raised questions about the consistency of the accident narrative.

The outlet reported that the motorcycle involved sustained only minor damage, which it said appeared inconsistent with a collision severe enough to cause fatal injuries. It also noted that markings on a nearby tree, described by police as the point of impact, appeared unusually neat rather than irregular, as would typically be expected from a spontaneous crash.

The report further highlighted that visible injuries on Ilham’s body were concentrated on the abdomen, while his head, limbs and hands showed no obvious trauma, a pattern it described as atypical in motorcycle accidents.

Based on these observations, the outlet concluded that there were unresolved inconsistencies in the available evidence and urged investigators to carry out a comprehensive forensic examination to clarify the circumstances of Ilham’s death.

Ilham’s body was transported from Mataram to Bima later on 5 December, travelling through Sumbawa Besar before reaching his home region. Family members reiterated their demand for a transparent and professional investigation, saying Ilham had previously been advised to be cautious because of his outspoken role in criticising alleged corruption.

The timing of Ilham’s death — just hours after a protest in which he accused police of protecting senior officials — has intensified public concern.

Youth groups and civil society organisations argue that the case cannot be separated from the broader context of the stalled BTT investigation, in which prosecutors have acknowledged recovering Rp 2 billion (US$119,000) in state losses but have yet to name suspects at the executive level.

Authorities have said Ilham’s death is being handled in accordance with procedure and that investigations into both the fatal incident and the alleged corruption are ongoing. However, the absence of a detailed public explanation or clear investigative timeline has left questions unanswered.

For Ilham’s family, fellow activists and student organisations, the case has become not only a demand for justice for one individual, but also a test of whether democratic space in NTB remains safe for those who speak out against alleged abuses of power.