JAKARTA - Rika Sumarni's legal team urged the North Sumatra Police to thoroughly investigate the alleged engineering of the investigation allegedly carried out by an investigator at the Belawan Port Police in the case that ensnared her client. They assessed that the legal process that Rika underwent was fraught with irregularities and had the potential to lead to criminalization practices.
Rika's lawyer, Erdi Surbakti, said one of the irregularities found was that Ayu Saputri, the party who was said to have received the flow of funds in the case, had not been examined.
"Here, the one who received the money, Ayu Saputri, has never been questioned by investigators. How can the Belawan Police suspect Mrs. Rika in the embezzlement case?" said Erdi in his statement, Friday, July 17.
According to Erdi, in the case of alleged embezzlement, investigators should first trace the flow of funds before designating someone as a suspect.
"Logically, in terms of embezzlement, the flow of money should be checked first. So, the real action of the investigators proved to have criminalized Rika by accusing and arresting people who did not receive the flow of funds from Daniel," he said.
He said that the alleged irregularities were strengthened by the document of the Notification of the Development of the Investigation Results (SP2HP) from the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation of the North Sumatra Police. In the document it is stated that Ayu Saputri has never attended a clarification invitation even though he has been summoned by investigators.
"Due to not examining or not confronting the witness who received the money, it is suspected that there has been a practice of investigation based on the results of engineering and manipulation as part of criminalization by the Belawan Police investigators," said Erdi.
In addition to highlighting the alleged manipulation of evidence, the legal team also revealed the alleged collusion between the reporter and the investigator. They suspect that there was a request for money of Rp. 50 million to the investigator and Rp. 250 million from the reporter as a condition for Rika's release.
Erdi said the report of alleged ethical violations against the investigator was now being processed by the North Sumatra Regional Police's Professional and Security Division (Propam) with the number LP/B/615/V/2025/SPKT. Based on SP2HP2-1 dated January 27, 2026, the examination of the parties concerned is still ongoing.
The legal team asked the North Sumatra Police to immediately hold a special case to test the investigation process carried out by the Belawan Port Police. They also asked the National Police Chief and the North Sumatra Police Chief to pay attention to the alleged irregularities to be thoroughly investigated.
"We hope that this case will be investigated transparently. The collusion between the whistleblower and the investigator who has damaged the image of the police institution should not be allowed so that no more people become victims of criminalization," concluded Erdi.
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