Brimob Officer Suspect in Rape of Girl, 9, in Lombok

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara.

A police officer is being investigated for the rape of a 9-year-old girl in Lombok on Sunday.

Mataram Police Chief I Nyoman Sukena said Second Brig. I Wayan Sukartana, from the local Mobile Brigade (Brimob) unit, had been detained and declared a suspect based on evidence and testimony from the victim.

“There will be no special treatment for him,” the police chief said, “even though he is a Brimob member.”

The girl’s father, Sanudin, from Karang Panas in Ampenan Selatan, said his daughter, identified as S.R., had said that she was raped by a Brimob officer at the unit’s barracks in Mataram after scavenging for plastic bags at the Brimob complex.

S.R. was immediately taken to the Karangpanace community health center to be checked out but was turned away by staff who said they did not have the proper equipment.

Staff at Mataram General Hospital reportedly also declined to check the girl, saying they needed a police order.

S.R.’s grandfather, Badrun, meanwhile, said he took her to the Brimob dormitory along with a group of villagers to ask her to point out the offender.

He said she identified Sukartana, who was then dragged to the house of the district head, where the officer reportedly admitted to the crime and offered to pay for the victim’s medical treatment and schooling so long as he was not reported to the police.

“I did not accept,” Sanudin said. “What would the future then hold for my daughter?”

“This is a very distressing incident,” Badrun added. “He wanted to offer to pay the medical bills so long as we did not report it. We clearly could not accept this.”

The victim was then taken to the local police hospital and the family immediately reported Sukartana to the police.

“I want him to be punished as heavily as possible and to be dismissed from Brimob,” Sanudin said.

(x the JG)