“The team will consist of internal and external parties. [...] Hopefully, the joint investigative team can uncover the truth behind the case and provide a sense of justice and legal certainty,” Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Fadil Imran said on Monday.

He added that the order for the investigation had come from National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo and that the team would include transportation and legal experts from outside of the police department.

The force had come under fire after naming University of Indonesia student Muhammad Hasya Atallah, who died in the crash, a suspect for negligent driving on Oct. 6, 2022.

Kompas.com reported that Hasya and some friends were traveling along Jl. Srengseng Sawah in South Jakarta by motorcycle when Hasya was forced to brake because the car in front of him swerved suddenly. He then fell on the opposite side of the road, according the report.

Eko Setio Budi Wahono, a retired police officer with the rank of adjutant senior commissioner, was driving an SUV in the opposite direction and didn’t have time to react, which resulted in the collision that killed Hasya.

After failing to find sufficient evidence to name Eko as a suspect, the Jakarta Police instead named the 18-year-old Hasya as a suspect.

“It was because of his own negligence while riding his motorcycle that Hasya lost his life, not because of any mistake by Eko,” said Jakarta Police traffic director Sr. Comr. Latief Usman on Friday.

Under Law No.22/2009 on traffic and road transportation, Hasya could have faced up to six years in prison or fines of up to Rp 12 million (US$802) if he was found to be negligent in his actions on the road.

The deceased student’s family has called on the police to be more transparent in their handling of the case, especially after it was revealed that a retired police officer was involved.

“Did the police even investigate how [Eko] refused to assist Hasya while he was dying? The police should know that abandoning someone who’s dying counts as a criminal act,” said Gita Paulina, a lawyer for Hasya’s family, on Friday, as reported by Kompas.id.

According to eyewitness statements, Eko refused to drive Hasya to the hospital after the accident. Hasya’s friends were left to look for help and call an ambulance on their own. Hasya was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Given Eko’s status as a retired police officer and the sullied reputation of the institution after a series of controversies this year and last, the case has attracted significant attention on social media.

On Instagram, the UI Student Executive Body called on law enforcement to deal with the case as fairly and transparently as possible.

“Whenever there’s a case that involves members of the National Police, there are always cover-ups and intimidation aimed at the victims’ families,” wrote the student organization.

The group cited high-level police officer Ferdy Sambo’s alleged murder of a junior police officer last year, as well as the deadly Kanjuruhan Stadium stampede, which was attributed to the police’s unwarranted use of tear gas, as examples of times when the police had been less than transparent.

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