Meski 2 Kali Sumpah Pocong, Pria Tersangka Pencabulan Di Palembang Tetap Diroses Hukum

Screenshot of a video when the suspect in the alleged child molestation case, AR (40), a resident of Ilir Timur II, Palembang, South Sumatra took a pocong oath, Thursday (18/5/2023) (ANTARA/HO-Polsek IT II Palembang)

PALEMBANG - South Sumatra Police (Sumsel) confirmed that the legal process against a man, RA (40), a suspect in the alleged molestation case in Palembang continued despite taking the pocong oath to convince his innocence for the alleged act in front of residents of the local city.

Head of Sub-Directorate IV for the Protection of Women and Children of the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation of the South Sumatra Police, Kompol Tri Wahyudi, said that the case file for RA had gone up to the investigation stage after investigators obtained sufficient evidence and strengthened the statements of several witnesses.

RA was reported to the Sub-Directorate for the Protection of Women and Children of the General Criminal Investigation Directorate of the South Sumatra Police by parents who claimed to be their daughter with the initials A (5), had become victims of obscene acts by the person concerned.

"The report was received in June 2022, before I became the Head of Sub-Directorate. Currently, the suspect has been investigated and named a suspect for the adequacy of evidence, including the results of the victim's post-mortem," said Kompol Tri as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, May 19.

However, he said, RA was not detained on the consideration that the suspect was cooptive, he was only obliged to report if the police investigator needed information in the process of fulfilling the case file. "Yes. This legal process continues or continues," he said, then stated that the legal process was not related to the pocong oath carried out by the suspect. In this case, the suspect is suspected of being a police investigator violating the article on child protection number 35 of 2014.

As for the information obtained by the police, the pocong oath on Thursday (18/5) was the second time the suspect had done it, for the initiation of AR to convince the complainant or victim A's parents.

Previously, RA, a resident of Ilir Timur II Subdistrict, Palembang, took the pocong oath led by a local religious figure, Thursday (15/5). The actions of the suspect who also wore the cloth were witnessed by hundreds of residents and then went viral on various social media channels.

The legal adviser to suspect RA, Jhon Fredi, said the pocong oath was carried out without any coercion from any party, the aim was to clear the good name of his client in the community of the local city on suspicion of sexual abuse which was believed to be completely untrue.