Four officers punished over attack

Andi Hajramurni, Makassar

A police disciplinary committee here on Thursday ordered four officers detained for 21 days for their roles in the recent attack on the Indonesian Muslim University (UMI) campus in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

The four -- First Brig. Nur Hasyim, 28, First Brig. Umar Zulkarnaen, 24, Second Brig. Otniel Saldy Penik, 25, and Second Brig. Rahmat Hidayat, 26 -- were also demoted in rank.

They will immediately serve their 21 days in the custody of the police's internal affairs division.

Adj. Sr. Comr. Machmud Abduh, the judge at the four-hour hearing, also ordered delays in proposing promotions for Nur Hasyim and Rahmat Hidayat.

Machmud said the four officers were found "legally and convincingly" guilty of breaching Government Regulation No. 2/2003 on police discipline.

"They did not obey prevailing rules, failed to act on the basis of official orders from their superiors, failed to carry out their duties responsibly and violated the oath of the National Police/Indonesian Military," he said.

The suspects initiated the attack on the UMI, beating dozens of students with "hands, guns and sticks", Machmud said.

The four are among over 30 police officers who will face the disciplinary committee over last Saturday's attack on the campus, which left at least 65 students injured.

One high-ranking officer and eight other officers will stand trial at the Makassar District Court over their alleged involvement in the brutality.

The punishment was imposed on the four officers after the police disciplinary committee heard testimony from two witnesses, Second Brig. Dian Andriawan and Second Brig. Farul Razi, and a sentencing demand by prosecutor Adj. Sr. Comr. Marten Sorreng.

The suspects' head lawyer, Adj. Comr. Mastura, told the disciplinary committee that the officers would accept the punishment and would not file an appeal.

The four police officers confessed to their roles in the attack during Thursday's hearing.

The same committee will hear the case against six other police officers on Friday.