NTT Police Deploy Full Team to Investigate Death of Doctor Icha
The East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Police have formed a joint investigative team to strengthen the inquiry into the death of doctor Eliza Princila Utami Pakaenoni, known as dr Icha, who reportedly took her own life after allegedly suffering severe depression due to intimidation by three members of the Timor Tengah Utara Regional House of Representatives (DPRD).
Head of Public Relations for the NTT Police, Senior Commissioner Henry Novika Chandra, stated that the team’s formation follows assistance from the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) to optimise case handling through cross-functional collaboration.
‘The NTT Police Chief has directed that all potential evidence and legal facts be thoroughly examined through a joint investigation mechanism. The handling of this case prioritises scientific crime investigation so that every conclusion drawn is truly based on valid evidence in accordance with legal provisions,’ Henry said on Thursday, 2 July 2026.
The formation of the joint team was ordered by NTT Police Chief Inspector General Rudi Darmoko to ensure the case is handled professionally, objectively, transparently, and based on lawful evidence.
The joint investigative team is led by the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation of the NTT Police and involves several other functions, including the Directorate for the Protection of Women and Children and the Eradication of Human Trafficking (Dit PPA and PPO), the Directorate of Special Criminal Investigation, as well as support from the Timor Tengah Utara Police and the Kupang Police.
Henry explained that the General Criminal Investigation Directorate is tasked with investigating the cause of the victim’s death, the PPA and PPO Directorate is handling aspects of women’s protection, while the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate, together with the cyber team, is examining electronic evidence and coordinating with the forensic laboratory if necessary.
Investigators will continue to examine witnesses who were aware of the victim’s activities before the incident, witnesses suspected of knowing about the alleged intimidation, and other related parties.
A number of experts have also been brought in, including criminal law experts, psychologists, graphologists for handwriting and signature comparison, and medical personnel to examine the victim’s medical records.
Henry stressed that the NTT Police uphold the principle of the presumption of innocence and will not draw any conclusions until the entire investigation and inquiry process is complete. The joint investigation team will conduct periodic evaluations of the case’s progress.