The Raid at Medan Police Went Viral. The Military Police of TNI Did Not Find Major Dedi’s Violations

Screenshot of Major Dedi Hasibuan a member of the TNI from Kumdam I Bukit Barisan (@medan1)

JAKARTA - Middle-ranking Army officer Major Chk Dedi Hasibuan, whose action went viral on social media because he came with a group of Indonesian National Army (TNI) soldiers to the Medan City Police (Polrestabes) Headquarters, continues to undergo disciplinary examination at the Military Police Command (Pomdam) I/Bukit Barisan.

Major Dedi, who is currently serving at the Kodam I/Bukit Barisan, previously underwent questioning at the TNI Military Police Center (Puspom) and the Army Military Police Center (Puspomad).

The Head of the Indonesian Army Information Service (Kadispenad) Brigadier General Hamim Tohari explained that the Puspomad investigation did not find any criminal violations in the case of Major Dedi.

"After going through in-depth investigation at the TNI and Puspomad Puspom, no elements of criminal offense were found so that they were handed over to the Military Command I/Bukit Barisan," said Kadispenad Hamim, Monday, August 14.

On a different occasion, the Head of Information for the Military Command (Kapendam) I/Bukit Barisan Colonel Inf. When contacted in Jakarta, Monday evening, Rico Julyanto said that Major Dedi, who served at the Military Command (Kumdam) I/Bukit Barisan Legal Unit, was still undergoing investigation for alleged disciplinary violations.

"We handed it over to Pomdam I/Bukit Barisan," said Colonel Rico.

Later, the results of the Pomdam I/Bukit Barisan examination will determine whether or not there was a disciplinary violation in the actions of Major Dedi and 13 Indonesian Army soldiers at the Medan Police Headquarters, North Sumatra, on August 5, 2023.

Regardless of the ongoing process, the Commander of the Military Police Center (Danpuspom) TNI Junior Marshal (Marsda) TNI Agung Handoko during a press conference at TNI Headquarters on Thursday (10/8) believes that Major Dedi will at least be subject to disciplinary sanctions for his actions.

The reason is, there are indications of a show of force from Major Dedi Hasibuan and other TNI soldiers when they came to the Medan Polrestabes Headquarters. Major Dedi and his entourage came on holiday to the Medan Polrestabes Headquarters wearing green camouflage uniforms.

"This action can be suspected or connoted as a show of force attempt on Medan Police investigators to try to influence the ongoing legal process," said Agung Handoko.

Major Dedi and his entourage came to the Medan Polrestabes Headquarters to inquire about the follow-up to the request for a suspension of detention against Ahmad Rosyid Hasibuan (ARH), a suspect in the case of forging land certificate signatures. ARH is the nephew of Major Dedi Hasibuan.

Under statutory provisions, TNI legal officers can provide legal assistance to TNI soldiers, TNI civil servants, and their families. Nephews are included in the list of family members who can be given legal assistance by TNI legal officers as stipulated in the Guidelines for the Implementation of Legal Aid in the TNI Environment which was ratified by Decree of the TNI Commander Number KEP/1089/XII/2017.

However, the Head of the Legal Development Agency (Kababinkum) TNI Rear Admiral TNI Kresno Buntoro estimates that there are procedures that the middle-ranking TNI officer did not go through.

"There was a procedural error in the provision of legal assistance, in particular the procedures and mechanisms for providing legal assistance," said the Kababinkum TNI during a press conference at the TNI Headquarters, Thursday (10/8).