Jakarta – The sluggish pace of a police investigation has led the family of Safira Raudatul Janah, 14, a victim of a stray bullet in Jl. Cideng, Gambir, Central Jakarta, to question the credibility of law enforcers to handle cases that allegedly involve one of their members.
"We just want the police to find the suspect soon and make him acknowledge his responsibility for it," Safira's father Muhammad Istiadi told reporters on Friday in a press conference at National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA), in East Jakarta.
It has been almost two months since Safira's family filed a report on March 10 to the Metro Gambir police precinct, but there has been no progress, Istiadi said.
Komnas PA chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait said the commission would assist the family in seeking justice for Safira.
"We'll escort the victim's family and ask for clarification from the police office. If there's no progress we will file a new report to the Central Jakarta Police office," Arist said.
The stray bullet incident took place at around 1 a.m. on March 10 when Safirah and nine of her friends were on their way home riding five motorcycles after playing futsal (indoor soccer).
"I was waiting in front of a gas station on Jl. Cideng with friends. One of us went fill up on gas. A couple of guys on motorbikes passed in front of us and shouted 'police!' Suddenly, a guy in white and a black jacket got out of an Avanza car and fired two gunshots, one to the air and one to the ground," Safira said.
She realized she had been shot when her friends saw her left foot bleeding. She was rushed to Fatmawati hospital but had to wait 15 hours for surgery.
Arist said the officers at the hospital were reluctant to operate because it was a shooting incident. In processing such cases, the hospital required an official statement from the police to say Safira was not shot while committing a crime.
Contacted separately, Metro Gambir Police precinct chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Tatan Dirsan said the police had dismissed a street chase on Jl. Suryopranoto in Gambir, Central Jakarta as being connected to the incident. He said the police had secured the bullet and the CCTV footage from the gas station as evidence.
Istiadi said the police alleged the bullet might belong to a police officer, but there had been no follow up.
Safira's mother, Endang Susanti, went to the police office on March 14 to establish progress in the case. "Pak [Mr.] Tatan handed me Rp 4.4 million [US$461]," she said.
Tatan confirmed the transaction but said he forgot the exact amount. "It was just due to my compassion for her. There was no other intention behind it. The police will still continue to investigate the case professionally," he said. (hrl)