Why no autopsy?

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