Indonesia fires police officer inside armoured vehicle that ran over Gojek rider during protest

Indonesian authorities have dismissed a police officer after finding him guilty in connection with the killing of a Gojek rider in Jakarta on Aug. 28.

The 21-year-old ride-hailing rider Affan Kurniawan had been run over by an Indonesian police armoured vehicle attempting to quell anti-government protests, which have escalated as a result of the incident.

Seven police officers who were in the vehicle have all been detained.

One of them, Cosmas Kaju Gae, was found by the National Police Ethics Commission on Sep. 3 to have "committed a serious violation and must be dishonourably discharged", the Jakarta Globe quoted the panel saying.

A national police spokesman subsequently announced that Cosmas was dishonourably dismissed due to "unprofessionalism", Reuters reported.

Cosmas was riding in the front passenger seat of the vehicle that struck Affan.

In a video of the ethics hearing, he was in tears, saying he never intended to kill anyone and was only doing his job.

"I was merely fulfilling my responsibilities in totality, following institutional orders and my commander’s instructions," he said, as quoted by the Jakarta Globe.

He called the incident "completely unforeseen" and expressed condolences to Affan’s family.

He also said he was considering an appeal, according to Reuters.

The vehicle's driver, a police chief brigadier, faces charges of serious misconduct and is scheduled for a separate ethics hearing, the Jakarta Globe reported.

The other five officers, who had sat in the rear of the vehicle, have been charged with lesser disciplinary violations.

The protests

On Aug. 25, thousands began demonstrating outside parliament in Jakarta against government spending, perks for politicians, and rising economic inequality.

Following the death of Affan, the protests have grown increasingly violent and spread across the country.

The demonstrators have been met with tear gas and rubber bullets from the police, and ten people have died, according to Reuters.

On Aug. 31, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced that the country's political parties have agreed to reverse some state-funded perks for politicians, including housing and overseas work travel allowances.

Top images from the Indonesia National Police’s Propam Division's Instagram and @kolektifa on Instagram