AKP Siti Elminawati: The Forefront of Protecting Vulnerable Groups in Central Sulawesi
AKP Siti Elminawati has received the ‘Police Protector of Women, Children, and Vulnerable Groups’ award at the Hoegeng Awards 2026. As a Unit Head within the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the Central Sulawesi Regional Police, she has demonstrated profound commitment to defending victims of sexual violence.
The Hoegeng Awards 2026 ceremony was held at The Tribrata Darmawangsa, South Jakarta, on Friday, 31 July 2026. The event was attended by the Chief of the Indonesian National Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, and CT Corp Chairman, Chairul Tanjung, alongside various ministers and leaders of state institutions.
The award for the category of Protector of Women, Children, and Vulnerable Groups was announced by Mas Achmad Santosa, a member of the Hoegeng Awards Expert Panel and former Acting Leader of the KPK. The trophy was presented to AKP Siti Elminawati by the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Arifah Fauzi.
The selection process for the Hoegeng Awards involved a panel of experts, including representatives from the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), and the House of Representatives (DPR).
Throughout her career in the Women and Children Protection unit, AKP Siti has handled numerous high-profile cases. One notable instance was the 2023 investigation in Parigi Moutong, where she successfully prosecuted 11 individuals involved in the rape of a child. She noted the difficulty of communicating with the victim but emphasised the importance of building emotional rapport to secure testimony. The perpetrators, which included a police officer and a village head, received sentences of up to nine years under the Sexual Violence Crimes Law (UU TPKS).
Furthermore, AKP Siti uncovered a human trafficking case in Palu involving a one-year-old infant sold via social media for 12.5 million IDR. Her investigation led to the apprehension of four perpetrators, including individuals brought from Bangka Belitung. Her work also extended to uncovering a trafficking network attempting to sell a seven-day-old newborn in Jakarta, and rescuing a child from forced prostitution in Maluku.
Beyond investigation, AKP Siti is actively involved in prevention through regular socialisation programmes in schools and local communities. Recently, in July 2025, she was appointed as the Head of Criminal Investigation for the Sigi Regional Police, making her the first female officer to hold this position within the Central Sulawesi Regional Police jurisdiction.