Kompolnas Asks For Police Cases Of Harassing Prisoners In South Sulawesi To Be Resolved Immediately

Commissioner of the National Police Commission of the Republic of Indonesia Poengky Indarti. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

Commissioner of the National Police Commission of the Republic of Indonesia Poengky Indarti asked for a case of alleged sexual harassment of the victim with the initials FM, a female prisoner in the Detention Room and Evidence (Tahti) of the South Sulawesi Police (Sulsel) by officers, to be resolved immediately.

"Kompolnas was very surprised and regretted hearing that a member of the National Police was carrying out the duty of guarding prisoners, but was suspected of being drunk and forcing and exploiting (sexual harassment) women's prisoners," he said when confirmed by reporters, quoted from Antara, Sunday, August 20.

Based on information he obtained from media reports, the act was carried out by a member with the rank of Brigadier General with the initials S who served at the Directorate of Detention and Evidence (Dit Tahti) of the South Sulawesi Police to the victim at the end of July 2023.

"Kompolnas encourages the person concerned to be prosecuted with the entanglement of articles layered by the Criminal Code and TPKS (Sexual Violence Crime Act), and added with the weight of punishment," he stressed.

According to him, the perpetrator's actions were considered outrageous and degrading the dignity of women to the bad effects of tarnishing the good name of the police institution. Moreover, female victims certainly will not dare to fight and are helpless because they are prisoners.

"The alleged perpetrator must be processed by a code of ethics and punished maximally, namely PTDH (Disrespectful Dismissal). Members and direct superiors must also be processed by a code of ethics because it is suspected that there was omission," he asserted.

In addition, superiors and members on duty guard at the time of the incident should prevent sexual exploitation of the detainees, especially around the detention room there are surveillance cameras or CCTV that should be monitored at any time.

"We hope that in the future there will be serious changes related to guarding the detention room and this incident will not happen again," he hoped.

Poengky also suggested that the raid should not only be carried out on detainees, but members of the prison guard to ensure that their professional performance does not consume liquor (alcohol) and drugs.

"Give strict law enforcement to the perpetrators so that there will be a deterrent effect. In this case, Kompolnas will immediately send a clarification letter to the South Sulawesi Regional Police," he said.

Previously, the Head of Public Relations of the South Sulawesi Police, Kombes Pol I Komang Suartana, stated that so far the Division said that Profession and Security (Propam) had intervened to investigate cases of alleged sexual harassment by members of the National Police against female detainees, by examining 10 witnesses including detainees. Meanwhile, the alleged perpetrator is currently in special detention.