Police Reveal How Brimob Officer Struck Student in Tual, Causing Death
Police have revealed the sequence of events in which a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officer, First Class Private (Bripda) MS, struck AT, a 14-year-old student at MTS Negeri Maluku Tenggara, causing his death.
At a press conference held at the Tual City Police headquarters on Saturday (21 February), police stated the incident began when Bripda MS, who had been part of a Brimob Company 1 Battalion C patrol unit, was carrying out patrol duties from 22:00 to 06:00 Eastern Indonesian Time on Thursday (19 February) morning.
During the patrol, two residents reported that a disturbance involving a brawl had occurred in the Upper Fiditan area. The Brimob officers promptly boarded an armoured vehicle and headed to the location.
Upon arrival, they found a number of youths gathered with motorcycles on Imam Mandala road and proceeded to disperse them.
After breaking up what appeared to be an illegal street race, approximately ten Brimob officers moved on and left the scene. However, Bripda MS remained behind with several other Brimob members, holding a tactical helmet.
Less than ten minutes later, two motorcyclists arrived — the victim AT (14) and his older brother KT (15) — riding from Ngadi towards Tete Pancing.
Bripda MS, upon seeing the victim and his brother, attempted to signal them by swinging his helmet in the air several times. However, as the motorcycles were travelling at high speed, the older brother’s motorcycle passed Bripda MS.
The victim AT’s motorcycle was in the rear position. The victim’s face was then struck by the tactical helmet being swung by Bripda MS, causing a wound to the temple area near the eye and causing him to fall.
After the victim fell, his motorcycle struck his older brother’s motorcycle ahead, causing the brother to fall as well.
The victim AT was taken to Karel Sadsuitubun Regional General Hospital, but his life could not be saved. AT was pronounced dead at 13:00 Eastern Indonesian Time.
Tual City Police Chief, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Whansi Des Asmoro, said Bripda MS had been named a suspect following a case review on Friday (20 February) evening. Bripda MS was immediately placed in the Tual Police detention facility.
Asmoro said a number of items of evidence had been secured, including the tactical helmet, motorcycles and equipment attached to the helmet.
“We have secured Bripda MS’s tactical helmet, two motorcycles, the victim’s motorcycle key and other equipment on the helmet,” he said at the press conference on Saturday (21 February).
He added that his office is currently coordinating with the Maluku Police internal affairs division regarding disciplinary action against Bripda MS, as the officer faces both criminal proceedings and a professional ethics review.
Whansi stated that MS had initially held the status of witness, which was subsequently elevated to suspect after marathon examinations of 14 witnesses from both the victim’s family and Brimob members present at the scene.
Bripda MS has been charged under Article 35 in conjunction with Article 14 of the amendment to Law Number 23 of 2002 on Child Protection, carrying a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment. He has also been charged under Article 474 paragraph 3 of the Criminal Code, carrying a maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment.