"We have arrested two suspects, while four others are still on the run, but we will continue our search for them," spokesperson Bripka M. Sahidin stated on behalf of Batulicin Police Chief Setiawan A. Malik in Batulicin on Monday.
Following the investigations conducted by field officers, both suspects were arrested at different times and locations, he added.
The first suspect has been identified as 38-year-old Hasanuddin a.k.a. Hasan Tato a.k.a. Suanang Janggut from Tanah Bumbu District.
He was taken into custody on Saturday, June 18, at 11:30 p.m. local time in the Banjarbaru Kota area.
The other suspect is 18-year-old Fajrin Amrullah from Tanah Bumbu District. He was arrested on Sunday, June 19, at around 10:30 p.m. local at a Sports Center in Batulicin.
"We are on the lookout for the rest of the suspects known as Utuh, Jumri a.k.a. Ijum, Imul, and Riski, all of whom have been included in the suspect search list," he noted.
The police continue to pursue developments in this case until they arrest the remaining suspects after 17-year-old M. Andyan Subakti from Kusan Hilir Regency reported the incident in which he suffered stab wounds to the back and temples as well as a sharp force trauma to his abdomen.
Suspects Hasan Tato and Fajrin are now under the custody of the authorities. The police have also seized two knives used to hurt the victim as evidences.
According to the results of the investigation, both suspects have confessed to their crime on May 29 in Batulicin and are charged with child abuse.
The arrest of these suspects was the result of the efforts of the nations police force to enforce the law on child protection. In 2015, the Indonesian Child Protection Commission had warned that the nation was in a state of emergency with regard to violence against children. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2016
