Ferdy Sambo’s Blood Pressure Spikes During Health Check at Cibinong Prison

Ferdy Sambo recorded a blood pressure reading of 180 mmHg during a routine health screening at Lapas Kelas IIA Cibinong on October 2, 2026, according to medical personnel on site.

Health Screening at Lapas Cibinong

Medical staff at Lembaga Pemasyarakatan (Lapas) Kelas IIA Cibinong in Bogor Regency examined Ferdy Sambo alongside approximately 500 other inmates during a health screening event, as reported by Kompas.com and Antara News Megapolitan. The former high-ranking police official underwent standard checks that included blood pressure measurements, general medical screening, and laboratory tests.

While most of his vital parameters returned normal results—his blood glucose at 154 mg/dL after consuming food and coffee, cholesterol at 177 mg/dL, and uric acid at 5.4 mg/dL—his blood pressure spiked significantly. Dr. Yenny Chandrawaty, the medical officer who conducted the examinations, stated that the reading reached 180 mmHg.

Factors Contributing to Elevated Blood Pressure

Medical personnel identified several primary reasons for the spike in blood pressure during the detention center assessment. Dr. Yenny Chandrawaty noted that Ferdy Sambo has a clinical history of hypertension and routinely takes blood pressure medication, including supplies available at the correctional facility. Beyond his medical history, staff noted that acute psychological distress and a lack of sleep also contributed to the reading. Ferdy Sambo informed medical workers that he had slept poorly the night before and was grieving the death of his mother, who passed away approximately one week prior to the evaluation. Unconvinced by the digital screening device, he requested a manual blood pressure re-examination, asking the doctor to repeat the test with the phrase Dok, saya minta manual. Coba ulang lagi, Dok. Saya enggak yakin.

Acute fatigue also played a role in the high reading. Unconvinced by the digital screening device, he requested a manual blood pressure re-examination, asking the doctor to repeat the test.

Broader Health Context at the Correctional Facility

The health evaluation on October 2, 2026, formed part of a wider social health initiative within the correctional institution. Antara News Megapolitan noted that the program operated under the banner of a health-focused social service involving religious organizations and volunteer groups to deliver free medical checks, laboratory screenings, and pharmaceutical supplies to 500 inmates. Antara News Megapolitan also noted that beyond general screenings, medical teams identified widespread cases of scabies among the inmate population and instructed individuals to routinely sun-dry their sleeping mats to curb the spread of skin mites.

Despite the elevated blood pressure reading during the check, Ferdy Sambo briefly indicated to medical staff that he felt physically fit and healthy overall before concluding the screening process.

Background on Ferdy Sambo’s Case

Ferdy Sambo is the former Head of the Propam Division of the Indonesian National Police who stood trial for the premeditated murder of his aide, Brigadier Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat. Yosua was killed in a shooting incident at Sambo’s official residence in the Duren Tiga area of South Jakarta in July 2022. In the resulting legal proceedings, Sambo was found guilty of premeditated murder alongside Putri Candrawathi, Richard Eliezer, Kuat Ma’ruf, and Ricky Rizal. The South Jakarta District Court originally sentenced Sambo to death. That sentence was subsequently upheld by the Jakarta High Court. However, in August 2023, the Supreme Court granted Sambo’s cassation appeal and commuted his death sentence to life imprisonment, bringing the ruling into permanent legal effect. Following the cassation decision, the Attorney General’s Office announced that Sambo would be transferred to a correctional facility to serve his life sentence. The same Supreme Court ruling also modified the sentences of several other defendants in the case, including reducing Putri Candrawathi’s sentence to 10 years in prison.