Police detained for fatal beating

JAKARTA (JP): Five members of the South Jakarta police precinct are currently being detained at the City Police headquarters, awaiting the results of the investigation of their alleged roles in the fatal beating of a man two months ago.

"They have been detained there about 56 days and their case has been taken over by the City Police headquarters," South Jakarta police Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto said yesterday.

The victim, Andi Prabowo, died on May 3 with severe bruises on his body.

There are two different versions of the case.

According to the victim's relatives, when Prabowo was handed over to his relatives by the police he was already in a critical condition. A relative quoted a witness as saying that Prabowo had suffered serious injuries after a fight with the officers, who thought that the victim was a street hoodlum.

On the next day, the officers drove the seriously-injured Prabowo to his sister's home. He died four hours later at the Fatmawati hospital.

The police version says Prabowo had attacked the officers and then fell, his head hitting the concrete tiles.

City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna could not be reached for further confirmation yesterday. (bsr)