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Probe into alleged lawmaker assault to proceed
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Dita Aditia cries as she leaves the office of Women's Legal Aid (LBH Apik) in Jakarta on Monday to report the alleged assault by her boss, lawmaker Masinton Pangaribuan. (thejakartapost.com/Wienda Parwitasari)
T
he police’s investigation into the assault allegedly involving a lawmaker of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) Masinton Pangaribuan against his female subordinate is underway as investigators started to appoint witnesses for questioning on Tuesday.
National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Suharsono said the case would be handled by the National Police’s general crimes division. “Today, investigators will prepare summonses for witnesses for questioning,” said Suharsono as reported by tribunnews.com.
Dita Aditia, who is reportedly an expert staff member of Masinton, reported her boss to the National Police for assaulting her two times on Jan. 21 when they were in Masinton’s car.
Accompanied by her lawyers, Dita visited the Women's Legal Aid (LBH Apik) office and the National Commission on Violence against Women (Komnas Perempuan) on Monday to seek support. On Monday, nearly two weeks after the incident, Dita’s eye could still not open normally and there was still a visible scar near her eye.
Masinton has denied the allegation, saying the scar on Dita’s face was unintentionally caused by the driver of the vehicle.
Differing from Dita’s account of the incident, in which she claimed that there was only her and Masinton in the car, Masinton said that there were three people, including a driver. Masinton also said that Dita was his personal assistant not an expert staff member.
Apart from planning to summon witnesses, investigators are also collecting evidence to support the report made by Dita, who is a member of NasDem.
Meanwhile, NasDem Legal Aid Body member Wibi Andriano, who accompanied Dita on Saturday, said that the assault occurred on Jan. 21 after Masinton picked up Dita, who was with several NasDem members at a café in Central Jakarta.
Speaking about the possible motive of the assault, Wibi said that Masinton might have suspected that Dita had leaked secret matters to members of Nasdem.
Dita said on Monday that while in the car, Masinton had “interrogated” her about what she had been talking about with her NasDem colleagues. Allegedly, when she answered that they had just talked about everyday matters, Masinton got angry and assaulted her. According to her he assaulted her again as Masinton took her in the opposite direction to her residence.
Finally, Dita was allowed to get out of the car, and she then took a taxi to Jatinegara Police station in East Jakarta. The police then accompanied her to a hospital to have her wounds treated and seek a medical letter for proof of the injuries.
According to Masinton, the incident occurred when Dita, who he said was drunk and hysterical, allegedly tried to grab the steering wheel, and the driver unintentionally hit her in a reflex action. (bbn)
