The Dairi Police in North Sumatra have granted a 75-year-old man who allegedly raped and impregnated a junior high school student bail.

The alleged rapist, identified only as MM, was removed from his detention cell at the Dairi Police headquarters and picked up by his family on Monday.

Dairi Police spokesperson First Insp. Donni Saleh stated that MM was granted the temporary release following a request from his family. According to Donni, the family's reasoning for the bail request was because of his deteriorating health and effort to make peace with the victim and her family.

“We had to grant their request because the suspect will be a burden to the investigators considering his decreasing health condition,” Donni said, adding that police investigators initially attempted admitting him to a hospital and a detention center in Dairi regency.

Read also: North Sumatra prepares 1,000 isolation rooms to handle COVID-19 patients

However, the detention center did not accept the man for indefinite detention due to COVID-19 concerns, while the hospital rejected him due to overcrowded conditions. 

Donni gave assurances that the police would proceed with his case despite the release.

“We will send the suspect’s file to the prosecutors soon,” Donni said. 

The chairman of Indonesian Women Care in Dairi, Delphi Masdiana, deplored the police’s decision to grant MM bail since his case was categorized as an extraordinary crime. 

“We have objections with this decision since it’s an extraordinary crime. The police granted the suspension request too easily,” Delphi said. (dpk)

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