No release for driver, despite public apology
No release for driver, despite public apology
Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The family of Aradea Kusumah Diningrat, a driver whose Honda City
plowed into a group of Sunday morning joggers last month, has
made a "peace pact" with the families of the four people killed
in the accident, who have in turn asked that the suspect be
released from detention.
But Comr. Naufal Yahya, head of the Jakarta Police Traffic Law
Enforcement Division, rejected the request on Wednesday, saying
the man would be prosecuted.
"We feel it would be morally wrong to release him during
investigation as four people lost their lives in the accident,"
he said.
It is common for the family of a suspect in a road accident to
compensate the victims for medical costs and for any losses
inflicted. However, it does not necessarily mean that the police
will drop criminal charges.
"If the victims and the suspect have made an agreement and the
victims do not wish to file a lawsuit, the police can immediately
drop the case," Naufal said. "Yet, considering the death toll, we
have decided to keep him here in detention."
Aradea has been detained since March 14, after he crashed his
silver sedan into the group of joggers on Jl. Jend. Sudirman in
South Jakarta.
He was reportedly speeding from his house in Lebak Bulus,
South Jakarta, to Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in
Cengkareng, Tangerang.
Raslan, 27, a resident of Semanan, Kalideres, West Jakarta;
Hasrul Hakim, 36, a resident of Cipinang, East Jakarta; Suyatmo,
34, a resident of Palmerah, West Jakarta; and Abbas Hasan, 36, of
Kampung Rawa, Johar Baru, Central Jakarta, died at the scene.
Three others were also injured in the incident, namely Yudi
Wicaksono, 28, whose left arm was broken and head bruised; Ilham
Sentosa, 43, whose left leg was broken and cut; and Muasrif,
whose legs were bruised.
Aradea is accused of violating Article 359 of the Criminal
Code on manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of five
years in prison.
Previously, police revealed that methamphetamine had been
detected in Aradea's urine sample. The substance is largely used
to make drugs, such as ecstasy.