Debt Collectors Beaten By A 14-Year-Old Girl Ends In Peace, Wonogiri Police Chief Pays For The Victim's Treatment Expenses Of IDR 2 Million

The process of mediating a debt collector abuse case at the Wonogiri Police, Central Java/Photo: Doc. Central Java Police

WONOGIRI – NDR (14), a girl from Jatisrono District, Wonogiri Regency, was not punished for the abuse she committed against a debt collector. Because, this case was successfully mediated by the Wonogiri Police.

NDR should have been charged with Article 351 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code after being proven guilty of abuse. The crime she committed was to beat a debt collector until he was injured. And as a result of the beating, the victim received five stitches in the chin area.

The Wonogiri Police Chief, AKBP Dydit Dwi Susanto, said that the beating occurred on Wednesday, November 14 at around 17.00 WIB. The debt collector, who is also an employee of a savings and loan cooperative (KSP) in Wonogiri, visited NDR's parents' house. The victim with the initials WDS (23) intended to collect debts that her parents had not paid off.

Unable to be charged, NDR took a broom and hit WDS's body once. The blow actually hit WDS's left cheek.

"As a result, the victim's left chin was torn to the point of bleeding. Five stitches had to be stitched. But the victim was still able to carry out daily activities. He only felt pain in the left chin due to the stitches he had received," said AKBP Dydit in a written statement, Wednesday, 16 November.

WDS then reported the incident to the Wonogiri Police, on 20 October 2022. On Wednesday, November 16, 2022, attempts were made to resolve the abuse case by means of diversion or transferring the settlement of child cases from the criminal justice process to processes outside the criminal justice system.

This is in accordance with Law no. 11/2022 concerning the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. In Article 1 paragraph 3 of the law, it is explained what is meant by a child aged 12 to less than 18 years. The purpose of diversion is to resolve child cases outside the judicial process.

After going through a diversion process led by the Wonogiri Police Chief, NDR, who was the perpetrator of the abuse but had the status of a child, was not convicted. But NDR must make an apology to WDS, the victim she mistreated.

"The victim has received an apology from the child and is willing to resolve the matter amicably. The child is returned to the parents, and we oblige the parents to supervise their child," said AKBP Dydit.

The perpetrator of the abuse was also asked to reimburse the victim's medical expenses worth IDR 2 million. However, the Wonogiri Police Chief assisted with the medical expenses. This was confirmed by Suparyani, NDR's parents.

Suparyani said that WDS medical expenses, which should have been her responsibility, had now been assisted in payment by the police.

"We are very grateful to the Chief of Police for helping pay for the victim's treatment," said Suparyani.