Police dismish Brimob commander
Police dismish Brimob commander
Erik W. and La Remmy, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi
Three days after the deaths of four police recruits at the
Central Sulawesi Police paramilitary Mobile Brigade (Brimob)
training academy, authorities fired on Thursday the province's
Brimob unit commander.
Central Sulawesi Police Chief Brig. Gen. M. Taufik Ridha
confirmed that National Police Chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar ordered
the dismissal of Adj. Sr. Comr. Hersom Bagus Pribadi in
connection with the incident.
During a ceremony on Thursday, Taufik swore in Adj. Sr. Comr.
Abdi Dharma who previously was assigned in once-restive Poso
regency as the commander to replace Hersom.
"The National Police leadership has taken this action to show
its accountability to the public in connection with the
incident," Taufik said after the ceremony.
The four new recruits identified as First Adj. Brig. Yohanis
Tulas, First Adj. Brig. Denny Karya, First Adj. Brig. Sutaji
Takasihaeng and First Adj. Brig. Sahilu, died soon after
undertaking a 13-kilometer initiation march conducted by the
Brimob unit on Tuesday.
A witness said they were severely beaten during the march.
Da'i has also sent "a professional ethics team" consisting
Mobile Brigade Commander Insp. Gen. S.Y. Wenas and National
Police Chief of Profession and Security Insp. Gen. Timbul Silaen
to look into the case.
Taufik said that a special team assigned to investigate the
case had already questioned 10 people, including the instructors
involved in the deadly initiation exercise for 164 new Brimob
recruits.
"A preliminary investigation indicates torture," Taufik
conceded, promising that the police would bring the perpetrators
to court.
Central Sulawesi Police Medics and Health Chief Adj. Sr. Comr.
Budi Rahardjo declined to reveal the result of the autopsies
conducted.
Taufik added that six other new Brimob recruits were also
rushed to Palu General Hospital with in serious condition after
the tortuous march and they were still undergoing intensive
medical treatment.
Meanwhile, Central Sulawesi councillor Firman Maranua said
that the city council was waiting for the results of the
investigation of the case before they would summon Taufik to be
questioned.
He said that the council would speak with Taufik if the
investigation revealed violations in formal procedure during the
initiation.
"If the fatalities were caused by torture, Pak Taufik must
also be dismissed from his post," Firman said.