Probe into alleged rape to go on: Aritonang

JAKARTA (JP): A senior police officer has assured relatives of the late Cong Fung Moi, reportedly raped by a Thai monk, that detectives would continue to investigate the allegation even though the victim had died.

City Police Spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said yesterday the investigation would be officially closed only if no evidence was found to substantiate the claim.

"The same procedures as usual will be applied to the rape allegation filed recently by Cong even though she is dead," he said.

Cong committed suicide at her house in Jelambar, West Jakarta, Tuesday night by drinking a pesticide.

It is thought she decided to end her life because she was so upset by the police questioning her as a suspect for allegedly defaming the Thai's name.

She was frustrated by the slow pace of the police investigation into her report, which she first filed last July, according to her brother, Sugandani.

He said Cong drank the poisonous pesticide while the officers from the Central Jakarta precinct were still in the house.

"The officers came to pick up my sister. She was reported by a man for defaming his name," he said Wednesday.

Sugandani told reporters Cong was a rape victim. She had reported the man, a Thai monk in his 50s identified only as Th, for sexually abusing her last July in Bandung.

He said Cong reported her allegation to the police and also sent letters about it to several institutions, including the Indonesian Buddhist Council.

"I think she took the fatal decision because she was helpless and thought that she would never get help from the institutions," said Sugandani.

Aritonang, however, rejected the allegation the police had ignored Cong's report.

"We did, of course, proceed with the investigation. But we could not do anything to the person whom Cong said had raped her because there was not enough evidence to apprehend him," he said.

"But we'll keep on investigating the case until we sure we won't find any evidence that could be used against the man. But we'll close the investigation into the alleged defamation committed by Cong because she, as the alleged suspect, is dead."

Last night there was no information as to the monk's whereabouts. (cst)