The 37 Scientific Evidence of Digital Evidence Tampering on CCTV Footage at Olivier Café: The Jessica Kumala Wongso Case (2016), Carried Out by Muhammad Nuh Al-Azhar and Christopher Hariman Rianto, Who were Under the Leadership of the General Crime Director of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Krishna Murti, and the Chief of the Jakarta Metropolitan Police, Tito Karnavian.
EVIDENCE 18: WHATSAPP CHAT ACTIVITY OF JESSICA KUMALA WONGSO AT 16:29:18 LOCAL TIME AND 16:29:23 LOCAL TIME ALTERED AND FABRICATED
The motives behind Muhammad Nuh Al-Azhar and Christopher Hariman Rianto's manipulation of Jessica Kumala Wongso's chat activity at 16:29:18 and 16:29:23 local time, just before she was accused of taking cyanide from her bag and putting it into Mirna Salihin's coffee glass at 17:18:29 local time, appear to be intricately linked to strengthening the prosecution's case. By changing her WhatsApp chat activity into head-turning movements, they intended to create a misleading narrative, casting further suspicion on Jessica.
At 17:18:29 local time, Jessica was accused of committing a crucial act captured by CCTV 7 footage. This footage, originally in 1920x1080 pixels and 25 fps, was downscaled to 960x576 pixels and 10 fps, significantly degrading its quality. The reduced resolution and frame rate caused the video to lose much of its clarity and smoothness, making Jessica's hand movements appear artificial and jerky. This manipulation was likely intended to obscure any exculpatory details and frame Jessica more convincingly as the perpetrator.
By altering the footage, Muhammad Nuh Al-Azhar and Christopher Hariman Rianto aimed to support the prosecution's narrative. They wanted to ensure that Jessica's actions appeared deliberate and malicious, making it more challenging for the defense to argue against the visual evidence. The lower frame rate of 10 fps, in particular, made it difficult to see the fluid motion of her hands, creating a stuttered effect that could be used to suggest guilt.
Their actions can be seen as an effort to eliminate any reasonable doubt about Jessica's involvement in the crime. By presenting manipulated evidence, they sought to strengthen the case against her, possibly under pressure from the prosecution or due to their own beliefs in her guilt. The artificial and disjointed appearance of Jessica's hand movements in the downscaled video would help to create a stronger impression of her culpability in the minds of the jury and judge.
Furthermore, by manipulating the chat activity times and altering the video, they aimed to create a cohesive timeline that supported the prosecution's theory. The artificial nature of Jessica's movements would align with the narrative of her preparing and executing the poisoning, leaving little room for alternative interpretations. This strategic manipulation highlights the lengths to which they were willing to go to secure a conviction.
Their actions raise serious ethical and legal concerns about th
