Probe into fatal shooting demanded<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A number of Aceh provincial councillors said on Friday they could
\nnot accept the reasons given by the police for the fatal shooting
\nof a student and demanded a thorough investigation into the case.<\/p>\n
\"We deplore this incident and demand that the law enforcers
\nbring the shooter to justice,\" one of the councillors, Mukhlis
\nMukhtar, said as quoted by Antara.<\/p>\n
His fellow councillor, Muhammad Saleh, joined the chorus of
\ncondemnation, saying the police apology should not stop the legal
\nprocess from going ahead.<\/p>\n
A police officer, identified only as Brig. AS, opened fire on
\nMuhammad Iqbal, a chemical engineering student at Syah Kuala
\nUniversity, on Thursday following a minor traffic accident
\ninvolving the two in front of Baitturahman Grand Mosque in Banda
\nAceh.<\/p>\n
Iqbal was shot in the head and died later in the day at the
\nZainal Abidin Hospital. Iqbal's body was buried on Friday.<\/p>\n
Aceh Police chief Insp. Gen. Yusuf Manggabarani apologized for
\nthe incident and promised to severely punish his errant
\nsubordinate, who is now under detention.<\/p>\n
Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Dede Ahmad said AS had fired a
\nwarning shot before he finally gunned down Iqbal at an
\nintersection in Ateuk Pahlawan subdistrict on the outskirts of
\nBanda Aceh.<\/p>\n
Saleh said the officer should not have shot Iqbal.<\/p>\n
Some witnesses said the student had his arms up before he was
\nshot.<\/p>\n
\"Even if the police officer was forced to open fire, he should
\nnot have aimed at the student's head but at some other part of
\nhis body so as to immobilize him,\" Saleh said.<\/p>\n
Mukhlis said there was no justification for the officer's act,
\ndespite the fact that Aceh came was tightly controlled by the
\nmilitary and police due to the continuing separatist campaign in
\nthe province.<\/p>\n
\"The police, as the institution mandated to control security
\nhere, should enforce the law and protect people,\" Mukhlis said.<\/p>\n
Banda Aceh Legal Aid Institute director Rufriadi said the
\npolice chief's apology should be followed by legal action against
\nAS.<\/p>\n
\"We hope the case won't be settled within the police force.
\nThe officer must be brought to trial as the case will serve as a
\ntest of professionalism in the police force,\" Rufriadi said.<\/p>\n
Law No. 2\/2002 on the National Police stipulates that an
\nofficer who commits a crime is to be tried in the local district
\ncourt instead of a military tribunal as happened in the past.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/probe-into-fatal-shooting-demanded-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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