NTB Regional Police Complete Handling of Child Immorality Cases for Sekotong Legislative Candidates

Head of Public Relations of the NTB Police, Kombes Arman Asmara Syarifuddin. (ANTARA/Dhimas BPP)

MATARAM - West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Regional Police investigators have completed handling a case of alleged immoral acts involving the female child of a prospective legislative candidate from Sekotong, West Lombok Regency.

Head of Public Relations of the NTB Police, Commissioner Arman Asmara Syarifuddin, via telephone in Mataram, Wednesday, said that the investigation into the case was complete after investigators transferred the suspect and evidence to the public prosecutor.

"Yes, that's right. With the implementation of phase two (delegation), it indicates that our handling has been completed," said Arman as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 27.

The second stage of the delegation of cases was carried out on Tuesday September 26. Investigators carried out the final stage of the handling after the research prosecutor stated that the case files were complete.

The Director of General Criminal Investigation at the NTB Regional Police, Commissioner Teddy Ristiawan, on a previous occasion revealed that the suspect in this case was still a child.

"Because this (suspect) concerns a child who is in conflict with the law, we cannot reveal the identity of the person concerned. This is not a cover-up, but to protect the child," said Teddy.

Regarding the role of a suspect who was still a child in a case that was previously revealed as reporting the prospective legislative candidate from Sekotong as the alleged perpetrator, Teddy chose not to reveal it to the public.

"What is clear is that from the facts revealed in this case, indications have emerged of criminal sexual intercourse and physical sexual harassment," he said.

Even though he was reluctant to reveal the identity and role of the suspect, Teddy emphasized that investigators determined the suspect based on a handling process that was carried out professionally and procedurally.

"So, this handling process has really become the center's attention, as colleagues know, this case already has supervision from the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, LPSK, and Kompolnas. That's why we are carrying out an investigation using the Crime Science Investigation ( CSI)," he said.

Investigators determined that the suspect was still a child by applying Article 81 paragraph (1) or paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 76D of Republic of Indonesia Law Number 17 of 2016 concerning Stipulation of Government Regulations in Lieu of Law No. 1 of 2016 concerning the Second Amendment to Law no. 23 of 2022 concerning Child Protection and/or Article 6C of Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Crime of Sexual Violence.

The police have detained him by entrusting the suspect to a Social Welfare Organization (LPKS).