YOGYAKARTA: Indonesian authorities are investigating the death of a 43-year-old man who was allegedly beaten up by traffic police officers in Yogyakarta.
The body of the victim, identified as Darso, was exhumed on Monday (Jan 13) as part of the Central Java Police’s investigation after his family filed a report last Friday, news outlet Kompas reported.
Three individuals are currently being investigated but their identities remain unclear, reported Kompas on Monday.
On Sep 21 last year, Darso was allegedly taken from his home in Semarang without an arrest warrant by six officers claiming to be from the Yogyakarta Traffic Police Unit. He was taken to a nearby soccer field where he was allegedly beaten on his head, stomach and chest, his brother Tocahyo told Kompas.
Two hours later, three of the officers returned to inform his wife that Darso had been admitted to the nearby Permata Medika Hospital in Semarang.
Darso suffered severe injuries and was treated at the intensive care unit (ICU) for three days before being moved to a normal ward for another three days, after which he was discharged, the news outlet Tribun reported. He died at home in Semarang on Sep 29, his family attorney Antoni Yudha Timor told the media on Saturday (Jan 12).
Local media reported that Darso was involved in a traffic accident on July 12 last year. He had collided with a woman on a motorbike when he was driving from Semarang to Yogyakarta, cities which are two hours apart by car.
“He took responsibility for the traffic accident by taking the victim to a clinic but because he did not have enough money (to cover her medical costs), he left his identity card,” Darso’s family lawyer Antoni explained, as quoted by Jakarta Globe.
The woman’s family made a report to the Yogyakarta Traffic Police Unit, which then dispatched officers to seek clarifications from Darso, Yogyakarta police chief Aditya Surya Dharma told CNN Indonesia.
Aditya added that the woman suffered injuries to her neck and had to use a neck brace, while Antoni claimed that she only suffered minor injuries.
FAMILY SAYS IT REJECTED “PEACE SETTLEMENT”
On Sep 21, Darso was rushed to the hospital after complaining of chest pain when he was with officers from the Yogyakarta Traffic Police Law Enforcement Unit, Kompas reported.
Aditya noted that Darso had a history of heart disease and had had a heart ring or stent inserted, CNN Indonesia reported.
Darso’s family wants the officers involved to be charged with aggravated assault causing fatality, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 15 years, Jakarta Globe reported.
Explaining why the family only filed a police report four months after his death, Antoni said: “There is a delay in making a police report as the perpetrators had visited the family several times to resolve the incident through a mediation.”
The officers involved apparently offered his family a “peace settlement” of 25 million rupiah (US$1,534), which they turned down, Kompas reported.
“I refused because my husband told me to bring the case to justice,” his wife Poniyem told Jakarta Globe.
While the Yogyakarta Traffic Police Unit has yet to comment on the alleged peace settlement offer, Yogyakarta Metropolitan Police spokesman Sujarwo said: “Allow us some time to collect information to better understand the chronology of the incident … We are fully cooperating with the Central Java Police in their investigation of the case.”
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/indonesia-yogyakarta-semarang-police-man-beaten-died-4853911
