LOMBOK, Indonesia: Two Indonesian police officers have been arrested over the death of a fellow officer, in a case that has drawn public scrutiny and triggered calls for accountability and transparency within the force.
Muhammad Nurhadi, a brigadier in West Nusa Tenggara police’s Internal Affairs Division, was found dead in a swimming pool at Tekek Villa in Gili Trawangan, North Lombok, on the night of Apr 16.
According to investigators, Nurhadi had attended a private party at the villa with his superiors – Yogi Purusa Utama and Ipda Haris Candra – alongside a woman identified as Misri and another witness known only by the initial P.
While Yogi and Haris initially claimed he had drowned, an autopsy in May later uncovered multiple injuries, including signs consistent with strangulation. They were arrested on Monday (Jul 7).
Local police have not explained the delay between the autopsy findings and the arrests.
Investigators now suspect that Nurhadi was assaulted and sedated after allegedly flirting with a female guest linked to either Yogi or Haris.
They have named Yogi, Haris and Misri as suspects in the case. Misri was arrested on Jul 2, according to local news site Detik.
Yogi and Haris have been dismissed from the force and will be held in custody for at least 21 days as investigations continue, reported local news outlet Jakarta Globe.
“This detention follows due legal process based on our investigation and is not a response to public or social media pressure,” said Catur Erwin Setiawan, head of Sub-Directorate III of West Nusa Tenggara’s Criminal Investigation Department, at a press briefing on Monday.
The pair are being held in separate cells under tight security to safeguard their rights and ensure their safety, according to Muhammad Rifa’i, director of detention and evidence at West Nusa Tenggara police department, as reported by Detik.
