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.