The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Tue, September 08 2015
After months of investigation, Bali Police investigators have finally completed dossiers in the murder case of 8-year-old girl Engeline Margriet Megawe, in which they provide evidence that could see the two suspects face the firing squad.
Head of general crime at Denpasar Prosecutor’s Office, Ketut Maha Agung, said the two suspects — Margriet Christina Megawe and Agus Tay Hamba May — would be charged under Article 340 of the Criminal Code (KUHP) on premeditated murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment or the death penalty, as well as Article 338 on murder, which carries a sentence of 15 years in prison.
“Both suspects could face the death penalty,” Maha Agung said.
According to the case dossiers, both suspects, according to Maha Agung, will also be charged under articles 76 and 80 of Law No. 35/2014 in reference to Law No. 23/2002 on child protection.
Margriet, who was also the adoptive mother of Engeline, the prosecutor will also charge her with Article 353 on domestic violence.
On Monday, Bali Police investigators officially handed over the two suspects and all supporting evidence to the Denpasar Prosecutor’s Office, which confirmed that the dossiers were sufficient to bring the case to trial.
The head of the prosecutor’s office, Imanuel Zebua, said that his office had received dosiers with sufficient evidence for a murder trial.
Although prosecutors had 20 days to review the dossier before handing it over to the Denpasar District Court, which will set the date for the trial’s first hearing, Zebua said his office would not wait that long to register the case.
“We will not wait. We will hand over [the case to the court] soon,” Zebua said, adding that his office had already prepared the indictment for the case.
Engeline was found buried in the backyard of Margriet’s house on Jl. Sedap Malam in Denpasar on June 10. After she was reported missing on May 16, the case attracted significant public attention when the family created a Facebook page for Engeline called “Find Engeline — Bali’s Missing Child.”
Margriet is accused of murdering Engeline, whom she adopted only three days after she was born. Engeline was adopted solely on the basis of a notary certificate by Margriet and her second husband, a US national who died several years ago.
Along with the case dossiers, police investigators also handed over several pieces of evidence for the case, including a Barbie doll that was found buried with Engeline’s body, a cellular phone and a hoe that was allegedly used to bury Engeline’s body.
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di 8 sep 2015 - 9:34