Couple named suspects in maid abuse case
Couple named suspects in maid abuse case
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
A married couple have been arrested by the police for allegedly
torturing their housemaid.
Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana
revealed on Monday that the police have obtained sufficient
evidence to name the two as suspects in the case.
The maid, identified as Katmini, is still hospitalized with
severe injuries to her body, as well as broken legs and hands.
The live-in maid was asked to see her employers in the living
room at about 11 a.m. on Oct. 22.
According to the victim's statement to the police, the man
took a hammer from a tool box and hit Katmini's back and knees
with it, without telling her what she had done wrong.
His wife then took the hammer and hit her body again, while
the man slapped Katmini's face several times.
After the torture, the two left her lying on the floor.
Crawling, Katmini managed to get out and ask for help from a
neighbor in Cilincing, North Jakarta.
On Oct. 25, Katmini made a report to the police.
After questioning witnesses, the police arrested the couple
several days later.
As the accused man is a Navy officer, the police handed him
over to that institution for further investigation.
The accused woman, who is a police officer, was now being
interrogated by the internal affairs division at the Jakarta
Police.
The couple would be charged under Article 170 of the Criminal
Code on physical abuse and Article 44 of Law No. 23/2004 on
domestic violence. The Code carries a maximum punishment of five
years imprisonment for the offense, while the Domestic Violence
Law carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' jail.
Ketut said that the woman may be discharged from the police
force if she is found guilty as charged.
"She'll not only lose her job, she'll face criminal charges
and probably spend a term in jail. We will not tolerate such
crimes committed by an officer," he said.
Although Jakarta Police has previously charged and fired
several of its officers for various crimes, the public continue
to complain that many other police officers, who have clearly
committed criminal acts, get away unpunished for their actions.