Drug Arrest Engineering Case In Binjai, Observer: Police Must Join In Detention When Victims Are Detained

JAKARTA - The case of the arrest of a teenager RN who was allegedly framed for buying methamphetamine in Koja Binjai, North Sumatra in March 2022 continues to be in the spotlight. Although the Narcotics Head of the Binjai Police, AKP Firman Imanuel has been removed from his position, the problem is not yet considered finished.

University of Indonesia criminologist Josias Simon assessed that the removal of the Narcotics Head of the Binjai Police was not considered a solution to the problem. He considered that when RN was detained for the drug case. The police officers involved were also detained.

"If that's the case (RN); he is detained, all those who are involved there (including the police) are also detained, want RN and all those involved and who give everything. Whether to the police or not," said Simon when contacted by Voi.id, Friday , April 22.

On the other hand, if RN is not detained, Simon asks the North Sumatra Police to provide a clearer explanation. So that people do not suspect about the case.

"For example, if he was not detained for what reason, why? Is it because it has been revealed, trying to cover it up. It's better to be transparent, because this is a polemic, this can imitate other Polda," he explained.

In addition, Simon asked the North Sumatra Police to evaluate so that similar incidents do not happen again and do not become normal events.

He asked for this case to be given more intense attention. Because the results of the follow-up of RN's drug case with the Binjai Police will be an example for the police.

"First, it is related to the victim, in that case they were not aware that they were victims of manipulation during the arrest. This is something that the police should pay attention to, especially the field officers and leaders," he said.

"So the arrest is in accordance with the rules, don't make it up, so don't be like people chasing targets. This matter will affect the victim. Incidentally, there is CCTV, what if there is another victim, who has no other instructions. Now this is also a lesson, so that there are no other victims of entrapment," he added.

Regarding the Binjai Police Chief, AKBP Ferio Sano Ginting, who denied that his members made an artificial arrest, Simon assessed that the North Sumatra Police should examine the case more clearly.

"The North Sumatran Police must investigate, there are two possibilities that the police chief was not careful. So that later he was misled, the information on the arrest was in his file. Or did he cover up habits that actually contradicted the arrest process with existing regulations," he concluded.

For information, the incident was revealed to have originated from CCTV footage when the teenager with the initials RN (17) was arrested, was widely circulated in mid-March 2022. At that time, RN was in an internet cafe, Jalan Jenderal Gatot Subroto, West Binjai District, Binjai City.

Ferio Sano Ginting immediately held a press conference. Ferio confirmed that his members arrested RN as shown in the video, on Saturday 19 March. However, Ferio denied that his men framed RN.

"The evidence confiscated from the perpetrators was 1 box of Surya cigarettes containing 2 packages of methamphetamine with a gross weight of 0.95 grams and 1 shovel pipette," said Ferio.

The police brought RN to undergo an examination. From the interrogation, RN admitted that the methamphetamine was obtained from ET (19). Then the police arrested ET, who was none other than the young man in the blue shirt as in the CCTV footage.

"From the results of the examination, ET admitted that the methamphetamine belonged to him and the plan was to use it together," he said.

Later, the arrest was controversial. AKP Firman Immanuel Warwin is considered responsible for the actions of its members in the field.

The North Sumatran Police Chief Inspector General Panca Putra Simanjuntak removed AKP Firman from the position of Head of Narcotics Research Unit at the Binjai Police based on a secret telegram (TR) number ST 319 /V /KEP/2022 dated April 16, 2022.

The Head of Public Relations of the North Sumatra Police, Kombes Hadi Wahyudi, said that AKP Firman Imanuel was considered responsible for the case of the juvenile arrest in Binjai City. AKP Firman was also questioned at the North Sumatra Police Propam.

"The Kasat must be responsible for the weak supervision of the members, so that the members do these things. The members have also been examined and have further investigation regarding this. The Kasat is still being questioned," Hadi said.