Jakarta. The father of slain policeman Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat asked the accused murder mastermind, former police general Ferdy Sambo, to remove his mask as they met face to face in a hearing at the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday.

“Please Your Honor, ask [the defendant] to remove his mask so I can recognize him,” Samuel Hutabarat told the judge.

Presiding Judge Wahyu Iman Santosa granted his request and Ferdy followed the proceeding without the mask.

Samuel used the occasion to express his anger at Ferdy and his wife Putri Candrawathi, also a defendant in the case.

“What if we switch roles, Mr. Ferdy Sambo becomes me, and I become Mr. Ferdy Sambo? What would he feel if I’d killed his son at his own residence?” an emotional Samuel told the court.

As Samuel was speaking, Ferdy retained his composure and listened with a straight face.

Ferdy is accused of orchestrating the July 8 murder, in which subordinate Yosua was shot multiple times by a fellow policeman at Ferdy’s official residence in South Jakarta, allegedly because the victim had harassed Putri.

Ferdy didn’t deny the murder charge that could land him the death penalty if he was convicted and offered an apology to Yosua’s family.

However, he was insistent about the sexual harassment story.

"I’m so sorry for being unable to control my emotion and think clearly at that time. Since the beginning of this trial, I have stated that the incident occurred because of my temper triggered by what your son had done to my wife,” Ferdy said without going into details.

He continued by saying that his version of a backdrop of the murder will be proven in the trial.

"I believe what I did is wrong and I will take responsibility before the law. I have prayed to God for forgiveness,” Ferdy said.