Police Persecution Case By Foreigner: Apartments Become A Hiding Place

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Dozens of foreign nationals (WNA) were arrested for persecuting several members of the Cyber Crime Polda Metro Jaya in the Green Park Apartment area, Cengkareng, West Jakarta. They ganged up on them thinking that the police would carry out a raid on foreigners.

Head of Public Relations of Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Yusri Yunus said the incident that occurred on Saturday, June 27, began when members of the Cyber Crime Polda Metro Jaya developed an online fraud case at the scene. The police searched for information on the perpetrator who lived in one of the apartment units.

However, when he was about to check the location, suddenly a foreigner screamed as if warning his colleagues if the police came to hold a raid. The scream provoked the arrival of dozens of foreigners and immediately beat the policemen.

"Members of the Tipid Cyber sub-district have actually tried to convey that they are police, but the perpetrators still resisted and beat the officers," said Yusri, Sunday, June 28.

Finally a commotion broke out. Shortly thereafter, members of the West Jakarta Metro Police Resmob and Cengkareng Police arrived at the location and secured the 9 perpetrators of the beatings. Moments later, the police arrested 2 other perpetrators who had fled. In total, the suspects who have been secured have reached 11 people.

"Initially, nine Nigerian nationals were arrested. Last night there were two additional foreigners, so there were eleven in total," said Yusri.

Head of West Jakarta Metro Police Criminal Investigation Unit, Police Commissioner Teuku Arsya Khadafi, said that it was suspected that the apartment was inhabited by foreigners who did not have a residence permit. For this reason, the police coordinate with Immigration regarding their whereabouts.

"Currently we are still coordinating with Immigration to ask for data on how many foreigners have over-stayed at that location," said Arsya.

Apartment hiding location

Criminologist from the University of Indonesia Ferdinand Andi Lolo said living in an apartment is indeed very popular with foreigners. Because, in general, apartment residents do not or rarely socialize. It also becomes their culture that is not open to the surrounding community.

"Foreigners who like privacy are certainly more comfortable with this situation. Apartments are also usually located in strategic locations making it easier for residents to do activities," said Ferdinand.

However, apartments are also often used by them as a hiding place. Because, their whereabouts are not easily known. Moreover, for those who have violated the law.

"In a closed space, and any relatively controlled access is possible," said Ferdinand.

Meanwhile, a sociologist from Gajah Mada University, Sunyoto Usman, said that there were allegations that dozens of foreigners living in the Green Park apartment deliberately chose the area to stay away from the surrounding community and immigration officers, because they did not have permission to stay.

"The suspicion is that they can be free and stay away from control from the community and the authorities," said Usman.