Semarang High School Student Allegedly Assaulted by Men Claiming to Be Intelligence Operatives, Case Reported to Police
A state high school student in Semarang City became the victim of a beating and mob assault by individuals claiming to be intelligence officers at the West Semarang Sector Police; the case has since been reported to the Semarang Metropolitan Police and is still under investigation.
On Wednesday (8 July), a team of lawyers from the Consultation and Legal Aid Centre (PKBH) of the Al-Qur’an Educational Institution Coordinating Body (Badko LPQ) of Semarang City visited the Women and Children Protection Unit (PPA) of the Semarang Metropolitan Police’s Criminal Investigation Directorate to report a case of assault and intimidation against a state high school student in Semarang.
The victim, identified by the initials IHP, was beaten and intimidated by three suspected volunteers claiming to be intelligence officers at the West Semarang Sector Police. The student was accused of involvement in illegal street racing, taken to the sector police station, and interrogated before eventually being released.
“We ask that this case be thoroughly investigated. The victim is a minor who has suffered trauma as a result of the incident,” said the head of the legal team, Joko Susanto.
Accompanied by the victim’s biological mother, Hindrawati, Joko Susanto said that after reporting the case, the legal team had coordinated with investigators to push for the case to be processed promptly.
“After carrying out our own tracing, we believe the perpetrators are volunteers, and we have included a photograph of one of them,” he added.
According to Joko Susanto, the intimidation and beating began when the victim had just dropped off a friend in the early hours of Saturday (4 July). On his way home, in the Jalan Puspowarno area of West Semarang District, he was suddenly tailed by three people who accused him of involvement in illegal street racing.
The victim was then interrogated and beaten by the perpetrators, before being taken to the West Semarang Sector Police, where he was interrogated again at the nearest police station before finally being sent home.
“We are providing legal assistance because the victim is an alumnus of a Qur’anic education centre and his mother is a member of Badko LPQ Semarang City,” he said.
The head of the PPA and PPO Criminal Investigation Unit at Semarang Metropolitan Police, Commissioner Ni Made Srinitri, said the report from the victim and his legal counsel had been received, and the police had moved immediately to conduct an inquiry and follow-up investigation, with a number of witnesses set to be questioned shortly.
“We have received the report concerning the case affecting a student at a state high school in Semarang City. The case is still in the process of investigation and follow-up,” said Ni Made Srinitri.
In the initial inquiry, Ni Made Srinitri said officers had already obtained the identity of the suspected perpetrator, but to complete the investigation, the police would still need to question the victim and witnesses.
“It is already known, but we cannot yet disclose the identity of the perpetrator who claimed to be an intelligence officer,” she added.