Assault Case Involving UI Student Executive Board Coordinator Advances to Investigation Stage

Police have upgraded the case involving the alleged assault of Hafidz Hernanda, social and political affairs coordinator of the University of Indonesia (UI) Student Executive Board (BEM), from a preliminary inquiry to a formal investigation.

“The case has been upgraded from preliminary inquiry to investigation,” Jakarta Metropolitan Police Criminal Investigation Director Senior Commissioner Imron Ermawan said at the police headquarters on Tuesday (13 October).

Imron said investigators from the Jatanras Sub-Directorate had questioned seven witnesses in connection with the alleged assault.

Investigators have also reviewed CCTV footage from around the scene. They have so far identified footage from at least 26 locations, Imron said.

“Other CCTV footage is still being collected by the Jatanras Sub-Directorate,” he added.

Police have also secured several items suspected of being linked to the alleged assault: a pair of white latex gloves, a black cap, black-and-orange glasses, black adhesive tape, and a black-and-white sarong.

“The evidence has been taken to the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency’s Forensic Laboratory Centre for analysis and further examination,” Imron said.

Hafidz, the social and political affairs coordinator of UI’s Student Executive Board, was allegedly assaulted by unidentified people in the Tebet area of South Jakarta on Sunday (4 October).

BEM UI Deputy Chair Fathimah Azzahra said the incident happened as Hafidz was heading home after attending a coordination meeting in Tebet. The man, known to his friends as Bapis, was attacked by unidentified assailants and threatened with death.

“On his way home after the meeting, our friend Hafidz, whom we often call Bapis, was riding a motorbike when he became the victim of violence, assault, theft and a death threat by unidentified people on Jalan Tebet Barat Dalam IX, number 21,” Fathimah said at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters on Tuesday (6 October).

Following the incident, BEM UI filed a report with the Jakarta Metropolitan Police. The report was registered under number LP/B/7493/X/2026/SPKT/POLDA METRO JAYA.

The reported offences are theft with violence under Article 497(2) of the Criminal Code, premeditated assault under Article 467(1), and making a death threat under Article 449(1).

“Given the urgency of this case, today, Tuesday, 6 October 2024, BEM UI, with Bapis’s consent, filed a report with the police at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters concerning theft involving violence on a public road, premeditated assault and a death threat,” Fathimah said.