Policeman arrested for alleged rape of detainee

Suherdjoko , The Jakarta Post , Semarang | Wed, 03/12/2008 1:33 AM | Headlines

A police officer has been arrested for allegedly raping a female detainee he was guarding.

Central Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Sunarno identified the suspect Tuesday as "SP, a 26-year-old First Brigadier.". He was arrested Friday hours after the detainee filed a complaint.

"We have also been questioning officers who were on duty with the suspect in case they witnessed something," Sunarno told journalists here Tuesday.

The detainee was identified only as SM, aged 26, who shared a cell with two other women in South Semarang Police custody. She was incarcerated for allegedly assaulting the wife of her lover in a jealous rage last week.

SM accused the suspect of raping her after he ordered the other two detainees to leave the cell.

Sunarno said SP would face a severe punishment if found guilty.

"Not only has he allegedly committed a serious crime but he may also have violated the institution's code of ethics," he said.

Under the Indonesian Criminal Code, a rapist can be sentenced to a maximum of 12 years in prison.

In connection with the incident, SP has undergone a psychological examination but the results are yet to be made available to the police, Central Java Police spokesman Snr. Comr. Syahroni said.

"If he is found guilty, he could be dismissed from the service in addition to a prison term," he said, adding the incident was the first in his area of command in the past four years.

The scandal has also angered local women's rights activists.

"I am very disappointed by the police officer's actions. The police should have protected the detainee.

"I don't care why the woman was in police custody. I'm dismayed the policeman raped the person he was supposed to protect," said Dr. Agnes Widanti, coordinator of the Network for Women and Children.

"We demand a thorough investigation into the scandal. The police should set a good example and enforce the law. What the suspect did was downright disgusting."

Agnes and other activists plan to take to the streets in protest of the alleged crime.

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