Why Police Have Not Arrested Four Suspects in Acid Attack on Andrie Yunus
Police have revealed the reasons they have not yet arrested four suspected perpetrators in the acid attack on Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS).
Kombes Iman Imanuddin, Director of Criminal Investigation at the Jakarta Metro Police, stated that his agency is still gathering physical evidence before making arrests.
“Have the perpetrators been apprehended? To date, we have not taken coercive measures. We continue to gather legal facts based on CCTV analysis and communications networks we have obtained,” Iman said during a press conference on Monday, 16 March.
Police are also awaiting forensic laboratory test results on physical evidence that has been discovered and seized by investigators.
The physical evidence includes a helmet allegedly used by the perpetrators and a container believed to have been used to hold the acid.
“We very much hope that the forensic laboratory test results will yield fingerprints from the perpetrators and DNA evidence from the perpetrators attached to the helmet in question. So, regarding suspects or perpetrators, we are not yet taking coercive action,” he explained.
Andrie Yunus was attacked with acid in the Central Jakarta area on Thursday evening, 12 March.
KontraS Coordinator Dimas Bagus Arya stated that the incident occurred after Andrie Yunus attended a podcast event titled “Remilitarisation and Judicial Review in Indonesia” at the office of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI), around 23:00 WIB.
“He was attacked with an acid spray by unknown person(s), resulting in serious injuries across his entire body, particularly on both hands, face, chest, and eye area,” Dimas said in a written statement on Friday, 13 March.
Following the incident, Andrie was immediately taken to hospital for medical treatment. Medical examination revealed that Andrie sustained burns covering 24 per cent of his body.
Dimas also disclosed identifying features of the first suspected perpetrator, who wore a white-and-blue combination shirt, dark trousers believed to be jeans, and a black helmet.
The second perpetrator, the passenger, wore a black face covering or mask resembling a ‘buff’ that covered half the face, a dark blue shirt, and blue trousers that were folded short and believed to be jeans.