Why no autopsy?

Wiyono, 61, a retired army officer who had been detained since Aug. 10 for illegal possession of firearms that allegedly belonged to Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, died on Aug. 28 on the way from the city police detention center in Central Jakarta to Kramat Jati Police hospital in East Jakarta.

City police medical division head Sr. Comr. Edy Suparwoko said that, based on an examination, the late Wiyono died of a heart attack, while city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said that the deceased hadn't been given an autopsy, because the bereaved family, especially Wiyono's wife Heri Sukarti, refused to allow an autopsy on her husband's body.

In my opinion, the two statements suggest that the police's professionalism is still poor.

According to the instruction of the National Police chief No.Pol: Ist/E/20/IX/75 an autopsy is essential for a body if the cause of death is unexplained. To determine the cause of death based only on clinical examination is legally questionable or invalid.

In this context I would like to suggest as follows:

1. The police should persuade the family to allow an autopsy.

2. For the sake of justice an autopsy must be done.

3. Anyone (even a member of the family) that hampers an autopsy should face a sentence of a maximum of nine months in prison.

H.M. HADI S.

Cimahi, West Java