T

he Jakarta Police are continuing their investigation into the rape of a Chinese tourist allegedly committed by two airport security officers.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said on Monday that the National Police were currently coordinating with the Chinese Embassy and would ask the latter to file a police report on behalf of the victim.

Rikwanto said the two suspects in the case denied the allegations and insisted that the sex had been consensual.

'€œThe National Police are still discussing the matter with the Chinese Embassy. We'€™ve had some difficulties in this case because the victim returned home before filing a police report,'€ Rikwanto continued.

Two security officers employed by state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II, identified as only B and R, have been named suspects in the case. The incident allegedly took place in a hotel room near Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten.

The suspects may be charged under Article 285 of the Criminal Code on forcing sexual intercourse with a woman, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.

The police and the management of Angkasa Pura II have watched CCTV footage that showed the victim arriving at the airport on Dec. 20.

Yudis Tiawan, the public relations manager of Soekarno-Hatta, said that according to the CCTV footage, the victim was with another Chinese woman, whom she resembled. The pair was picked up by another woman and they left the airport together. On Dec. 22, the victim returned to the airport in a Blue Bird taxi, but she appeared reluctant to get out of the cab.

An Aviation Security (Avsec) officer later helped her to get to Terminal 2D. The victim, who looked confused at the check-in counter, was taken by the Avsec officer identified as B to an immigration room. At 11:29 p.m., B and another officer took her to the departure lobby, where she slept on a bench.

On Dec. 23 at around 1 a.m., R came to the location and sat next to the victim. The tape showed that the victim, B and R left the airport together on Tuesday morning at 1:43 a.m..

Around six hours later, the victim was seen at the airport again.

'€œThat was what we saw on the CCTV. Even if it was consensual, the two airport officers have embarrassed our country and should be heavily punished,'€ Yudis said on Monday.

According to the police, the victim was found crying in the airport. The victim, who only spoke Mandarin, explained to the local police that she had been raped.

She implied she had been sedated and taken to a nearby hotel. When police asked her about the culprits, the victim pointed out officers wearing Avsec uniforms, implying that the perpetrators were Avsec officers.

Angkasa Pura II has temporarily suspended R and B. To date, police have not detained the suspects.

University of Indonesia criminologist Adrianus Meliala emphasized the significance of the victim'€™s testimony in the case.

'€œLaw enforcers need support from the victim [by providing testimony] or they might be accused of being insensitive or siding with the perpetrators. The fact that the victim has left the country may disrupt the legal process or may even put a halt to the case,'€ he told The Jakarta Post on Monday.

He stressed that the police needed to put every effort into their investigaton so as not to damage relations between the two countries.