Police in Probolinggo are suspects in the murder of a UMM student

Head of Public Relations of the East Java Police, Kombes Jules Abraham Abast. ANTARA/HO-Bidhumas Polda Jatim.

SURABAYA - The East Java Regional Police (Polda Jatim) has named a member of the Probolinggo Regency Police with the initials Bripka AS as a suspect in the murder of student at the Muhammadiyah University of Malang (UMM) Faradila Amalia Najwa.

Head of Public Relations of the East Java Police, Kombes Jules Abraham Abast, said the determination was based on the results of the investigation, examination of six witnesses and a number of evidence such as two mobile phones belonging to the victim that were found.

"The investigators of the Criminal Investigation Directorate (Ditreskrimum) of the East Java Police have collected at least two valid pieces of evidence, including witness statements, evidence of letters, and clues, so that the status of Bripka AS was upgraded to a suspect," he said as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, December 18.

According to Jules, since Tuesday (17/12) the suspect AS has been detained at the East Java Regional Police Detention House for the purposes of investigation.

"We have detained the suspect at the East Java Regional Police Detention Center," he said.

According to Jules, investigators are still developing the case, including pursuing other parties suspected of being involved.

"Because the investigation process is still ongoing, there are several pieces of evidence that have been seized, including the means used by the suspected perpetrator in the form of the suspect's vehicle, then the victim's cellphone, as well as the clothes used by both the victim and the suspect," he said.

Regarding the possibility of CCTV footage, Jules said he could not provide detailed information.

"We will convey the next developments, both regarding other perpetrators and other evidence that has been secured," he said.

Regarding the legal process against the suspect who is a member of the active Indonesian National Police (Polri), Jules emphasized that the handling will be carried out through two channels.

"As we have said before, the person concerned will be subject to general criminal proceedings and also police code of conduct proceedings," he said.

Meanwhile, the results of the autopsy of the victim's body are still in process.

The East Java Police also confirmed that the suspect AS was a relative of the victim, namely Faradila Amalia Najwa's brother-in-law.

However, Jules emphasized that his party could not conclude in detail the role of the suspect in the victim's death and asked the public to wait for the results of a thorough investigation.

"Regarding the exact cause of the victim's death, we can't speculate. Just wait for the examination and investigation process that is still ongoing," he said.

Previously, Faradila Amalia Najwa (21), a resident of Tiris District, Probolinggo Regency, was found dead on the banks of the Purwosari-Pasuruan Highway, Wonorejo Village, Pasuruan Regency, and was suspected of being a murder victim.

The East Java Police have deployed a team from Subdirectorate III of the Criminal Investigation Directorate of the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation to handle the case intensively, given the alleged involvement of members of the police.