Closed-Door Meeting Held Between House Commission III, North Sumatra Police, and Family of Ex-Police Wife
A closed-door hearing was held on Tuesday (11/8) between House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III, the North Sumatra Regional Police (Polda Sumut), the Medan Metropolitan Police (Polrestabes Medan), and the family of a deceased woman identified by the initials WL. Police have stated that WL, the ex-wife of a police officer in Medan, is suspected of shooting herself in the head with a firearm belonging to her former husband, Bripda IH.
Commission III member Hinca Panjaitan stated the two-hour meeting was held behind closed doors because the investigation is still ongoing. “We apologise to our media colleagues and the public for the closed nature of this meeting. Firstly, the investigation process is still underway, and we certainly do not want to intervene further in this investigation so that it can be completed,” Hinca said at the parliament complex in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He added that the meeting was also held to respect the humanity of the victim’s family. Hinca outlined four conclusions from the hearing. First, Commission III requested that the Medan Metropolitan Police thoroughly investigate the case of the victim’s death. The commission demanded the investigation be conducted professionally, transparently, objectively, and accountably in accordance with applicable laws and regulations to create a sense of justice and legal certainty for the victim’s family.
Second, Commission III requested that the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the North Sumatra Police supervise the handling of the case at the Medan Metropolitan Police. “Later, I will ask the Director of Criminal Investigation to also explain how far the report has progressed at the regional police level so that we are all on the same page. So, this second point is that the North Sumatra Police will supervise to ensure everything is complete for us to monitor,” he said.
Third, Commission III requested that the Medan Metropolitan Police provide access to the victim’s family to request or provide information related to the incident. “Fourth, and finally, Commission III will directly oversee the process of uncovering the case of the death of the late Winda Lorenza, which is being handled by the North Sumatra Police and the Medan Metropolitan Police, and ensure that the uncovering of this case proceeds in accordance with applicable laws,” he stated.
Previously, the victim was found dead after allegedly shooting herself in the head with a firearm belonging to her ex-husband, Bripda IH, at the Bumi Asri Complex, Medan Helvetia District, Medan City, on Sunday (2/8) at around 3 p.m. local time. Medan Metropolitan Police Chief Senior Commissioner Jean Calvijn Simanjuntak revealed that based on the crime scene investigation, the victim was found inside a bathroom with the door locked from the inside.
“Two witnesses, IH and M, their child, were outside the bathroom. The victim’s position was locked from the inside. And the final position of the victim’s body, pardon me, was covering, leaning against the door. Our initial conclusion was that it was a suicide,” Calvijn said. Regarding the position of the firearm, Calvijn explained that when officers arrived at the scene, the weapon was already outside the bathroom. However, according to Bripda IH’s statement, the weapon was previously in the victim’s hand and was taken by Bripda IH after the incident.