Suspects in Bekasi gang rape still at large
JAKARTA (JP): Police denied reports yesterday that they are investigating four suspects in the brutal rape of a mother and her two teenage daughters in a small, isolated village in Bekasi, 30 kilometers east of Jakarta.
"As of this evening, we have nabbed no one," City Police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Permantoro told reporters. He was accompanied by secretary to the head of the crime investigation directorate, Lt. Col. Edi Darnadi.
Up to eight suspects have been identified and are being hunted by dozens of detectives for their inhumane behavior during a pre- dawn burglary on Monday in the village of Cimatis, the police spokesman said.
Both officers denied an evening newspaper's report that a suspect had been shot dead in a raid on Wednesday night at a house in Bekasi.
"I can't believe how they can make such a bogus report," Bambang said.
According to Bambang, police shot Ching Lie alias Budiman, 38, a suspect in an attempted robbery of a wristwatch from someone in West Jakarta recently.
Budiman was killed when he tried to run from police sent to arrest him at his house in Bekasi, the spokesman said.
Edi said that the local police have questioned more than a dozen of people, including the neighbors of the victimized family, "just to collect as much data as they can".
Released
None of them has been detained or named as a suspect, said a senior city detective.
"We have released all of them," he said.
The Bekasi police have received strong backup from Jakarta city police in hunting for the suspects, who are believed to have left the area.
"We've tried our best by sending our people to certain areas to anticipate their appearance," Edi said.
The incident took place at 3:30 a.m. on Monday at the house of Acan, 45, a small-scale potato farmer in the Pondok Gede, Bekasi, near the Jagorawi toll road.
Up to eight people armed with sharp weapons broke into his house after tying up Acan's 18-year-old son, Ali, and his four friends who were sleeping on the veranda. The burglars later tied Acan up in the living room.
Failing to find any valuables, the group dragged Acan's wife, identified only as An, 43, to the kitchen and took turns raping her.
Later, the criminals raped both Acan's daughters, identified only as Ng, 15, and Ac, 14, after dragging the junior high school students into two different rooms.
The group managed to steal two grams of gold jewelry and three wristwatches from the family and left the scene in a car parked at the toll road.
When asked about a rumor that Acan had rejected an offer from a property developer to get away from the site, spokesman Bambang simply said: "Give us a chance to intensify our investigation."
Police have collected fingerprints, sperm, a bloodied bedsheet and the victims' underwear and clothes from the isolated crime scene.
The evidence has been sent to the National Police Center's forensic laboratory.
Public anger over the horrendous crime has manifested itself with calls ranging from the early arrest of the suspects to the death penalty.
Some officials, including State Minister of Women's Roles Mien Sugandhi and Supreme Court Judge Bismar Siregar, share the public's outrage.
National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman promised yesterday to impose the maximum punishment as allowed by law on anyone found guilty of the crime.
According to the criminal code, each suspect faces a maximum of 12 years in jail if found guilty.
On Wednesday, City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo guaranteed human rights groups that he has not instructed his personnel to shoot any of the suspects if they are found.
"But, my personnel know what they should do in the field," Dibyo insisted. (bsr)