The Jakarta Police have named the 13-year-old son of the famous musician Ahmad Dhani a suspect in a deadly car crash on the Jagorawi toll road, which killed six and injured nine others on Sunday.

City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said on Monday that police investigators had found that Ahmad Abdul Qodir Jaelani, popularly known as Dul, was driving a Mitsubishi Lancer from Bogor, West Java, to Jakarta early on Sunday when his car hit the road separator and slammed into oncoming traffic. The sedan hit a Daihatsu Gran Max minivan, which in turn hit a Toyota Avanza minivan.

Six out of the 13 people onboard the Gran Max minivan died at the scene, while seven others were injured. Two people onboard the Avanza minivan were not hurt, while Dul and his friend, Noval Samudra, 14, suffered serious injuries and lost consciousness.

'Dul was behind the wheel and lost control,' said Rikwanto, adding that Dul was still receiving medical treatment in Pondok Indah Hospital in South Jakarta so the police had not yet comprehensively questioned him.

When the suspect was fit for prosecution, he said, Dul could be charged under Article 310 (3) of the 2009 law on land transportation and traffic controls, with a maximum punishment of six years in prison.

The 2012 Juvenile Justice System Law allows a child of 12 years or older to stand trial.

'However, because Dul is still a child, we will also refer to the 2002 Child Protection Law,' he went on.

'According to Article 13 of the Child Protection Law, the investigation of a child involved in a legal case requires a special procedure with assistance from psychologists or child experts and child protection institutions, while all procedures up to the trial should be closed to the public,' he said.

If proven guilty, Dul will only receive half the maximum sentence of six years in prison as he is still underage.

Rikwanto said the police had questioned six witnesses in the accident, comprising two people onboard the Avanza minivan, two towing workers and two patrol officers operating on the toll road.

The police had also sent letters summoning Dul's parents, Dhani and his divorced wife Maia Estianti, as witnesses for further investigation.

'We aim to establish some facts, including where Dul and Noval were heading and whether his parents allowed him to drive the car or if he just drove it without their permission,' he said, adding that Dul had undergone urine and blood tests but the results were not yet available.

According to Indonesian Police Watch chairman Neta S. Pane, the parents should be held accountable for allegedly providing an opportunity for a crime to be committed. By law, they could face the same sentence as charged to the perpetrator.

Rikwanto said parents should not allow their underage children to drive motorcycles or cars. (ian)

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