Women's Empowerment Ministry Coordinates on Child Killed by Brimob Officer in Maluku

Jakarta (ANTARA) — The Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) is coordinating with relevant stakeholders regarding a child who was assaulted by a Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officer in Tual City, Maluku, resulting in the child’s death.

“We are still coordinating with the UPTD [regional technical implementation unit] and local agencies,” said PPPA Minister Arifah Fauzi in response to ANTARA’s questions on the sidelines of an event at the National Museum in Jakarta on Sunday.

The coordination is being carried out to gather more detailed information about the incident. “Once we have more complete data, we will provide an update. This is still being coordinated at the regency/city level,” she said.

Tual Resort Police in Maluku have named a Brimob officer identified by the initials MS as a suspect in the alleged assault that led to the death of a child identified as AT (14).

“The investigative process has now been elevated from a preliminary inquiry to a full investigation, and First Private MS’s status has changed from a reported person to a suspect,” said Tual Police Chief Senior Commissioner Whansi Des Asmoro, contacted from Ambon on Saturday (21 February).

The incident began when a Brimob patrol was conducting a security operation using a tactical vehicle in the Tual City and Southeast Maluku Regency areas in the early hours of Thursday (19 February).

The patrol was initially stationed at the Mangga Dua Complex in Langgur until approximately 02:00 Eastern Indonesian Time, before moving to Fiditan Village in Tual City after receiving a report from residents about an alleged assault near the Tete Pancing area.

Upon arriving at the location, First Private MS and several other officers dismounted from the vehicle to secure the area. Approximately 10 minutes later, two motorcycles were travelling at high speed from the direction of Ngadi towards Tete Pancing.

First Private MS reportedly swung a tactical helmet as a signal. However, the helmet struck the right temple of AT, causing the victim to fall from the motorcycle in a face-down position.

The victim was rushed to Karel Sadsuitubun Regional General Hospital in Langgur for medical treatment. However, at 13:00 Eastern Indonesian Time, the victim was pronounced dead.

First Private MS has been charged under Article 76C in conjunction with Article 80 paragraph (3) of Law Number 35 of 2014 on Child Protection, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.

In addition, the suspect has also been charged under Article 466 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the National Criminal Code, relating to assault resulting in death, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment.