Junior Police Officer Dies from Assault, Senior Colleague Named Suspect

Makassar, VIVA — One person has been named a suspect in the assault of junior police officer Bripda DP, which resulted in his death.

“We have now detained one suspect in accordance with his confession. However, we are not taking this at face value, as we are still examining the involvement of others,” said South Sulawesi Police Chief Inspector General Djuhandhani Rahardjo Puro on Monday, 23 February 2026.

The case was uncovered after a team from the Professional and Security Division (Propam) Directorate and the General Crime and Investigation Directorate of the South Sulawesi Regional Police worked to establish the facts at the scene. Six individuals have been subjected to intensive questioning.

“We are intensively re-examining five individuals to determine the extent of their involvement. However, based on the testimony of one individual whom investigators are confident about, supported by evidence, we have named one suspect — identified as P, holding the rank of Bripda, who is a senior of the victim,” the police chief explained.

He stressed that any officer found to have committed a criminal offence or violated regulations would be dealt with firmly, and that the process would be conducted transparently and professionally. He added that an ethics hearing for the personnel involved would be held in the near future, which would provide legal certainty in terms of both disciplinary and criminal accountability.

Regarding the five other personnel, the police chief said that following the naming of one suspect, their cases remain under examination, as further material and other forms of evidence are still required.

“The testimony of the suspect identified as P, when cross-referenced with the findings from the Medical Division, shows consistency — both in terms of the manner of striking to the head and other parts of the body. This is already in alignment. Therefore, we are confident that P is the perpetrator, and we will proceed with further legal processes,” he stated.

Investigators continue to question five other personnel, comprising fellow cohort members and seniors of the victim. Their status remains that of witnesses, though their involvement is being probed further. Notably, there appeared to have been an attempt to obscure the investigation, with claims that the victim had been banging his own head, a narrative that has since been disproven.

“We are not concerned with such narratives. We will continue to uphold the rules in place. For the time being, the examination and the extent of their involvement are still being investigated. Naturally, any actions taken must be supported by evidence and facts. If a person is not guilty, we must not punish them,” he said.