Court rejects Bandung resident complaint

Yuli Tri Suwarni ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Bandung   |  Fri, 05/09/2008 9:37 AM

The Bandung District Court has rejected a legal complaint filed by a woman stating the police were responsible for the recent death of her husband in police detention.

Dedeh Ruslita, 25, asked the court to impose a Rp 10 (0,094 US cents) fine on West Java Police Chief Insp. Gen. Soesno Duadji, Greater Bandung Police Sr. Comr. Bambang Suparsono and Bandung police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Teddy Setiadi, who allegedly arrested her husband Anang without a police warrant.

Judge Yance Bombing said he could not accept Dedeh's request.

"The evidence provided, such as witness testimonies and pictures of the deceased being tortured, are not relevant to the legal complaint," he said.

The court need the autopsy results to know causes of Anang's death, he said.

Dedeh, through her lawyer Erdi Soemantri, filed the complaint as she suspected Anang was tortured to death in detention.

Anang, 49, died just 15 minutes after he was arrested by patrol police on April 10, 2008. He was arrested following an argument with Dedeh.

Dedeh and her husband traded basic commodities in the Saritem red-light district. However, their income dropped once sex workers were evicted from the district. Dedeh said her husband had become depressed and started to drink regularly.

"I know my husband was drunk, but the police were unable to provide an arrest warrant," she said.

Dedeh is finding it difficult to support her two sons following her husband's death.

Dedeh said she paid Rp 1.4 million to the Kebonjati General Hospital to examine her husband's body. She was unable to pay for an autopsy to determine Anang's cause of death.

"I was not aware of the autopsy's purpose and I was still shocked by the incident," she said.

According to the police's testimony, the body sustained no injuries. Anang died at the hospital after becoming unconscious in his cell, Judge Yang said.

However, according to information obtained from the hospital, Anang was already dead when he arrived at the hospital.

Dedeh also filed a lawsuit against the police for negligence and for violating the Criminal Code. The police unit infringed their code of ethics, she said, and abused their power by arresting Anang without a warrant.

"My children and I are waiting for justice," she said.

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