DENPASAR: Kuta Police on the Indonesian resort island of Bali have denied allegations that officers assaulted an Algerian tourist while he was in detention, saying his worsening health was caused by a preexisting medical condition.
Kuta Police chief Laksmi Trisnadewi said an internal investigation found no evidence that the suspect, identified only as M, had been assaulted or subjected to violence while in custody.
"We have interviewed the officers involved in the case and the suspect's legal representative, and reviewed the suspect's medical records. We found no evidence that he was assaulted," Laksmi said on Sunday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
"Since his detention, the suspect has been cooperative throughout the investigation, so there has been no reason to resort to any form of physical intimidation," he added.
According to Laksmi, M had a preexisting condition affecting his testicles before he was taken into custody.
"The individual was already suffering from the condition, and it was not caused by any physical violence by law enforcement officers," she said.
"He remains under the care of a urology specialist and is receiving antibiotics and painkillers while undergoing medical observation."
Laksmi claimed M's legal representative, who had previously alleged that the suspect was assaulted in custody and filed a complaint with Kuta Police's Internal Affairs Division, withdrew the complaint after being informed of the findings of the internal investigation.
"The suspect's legal representative also conveyed a direct apology to us yesterday," Laksmi said.
M was arrested on June 6 on suspicion of stealing 14 pieces of designer clothing and hats from several shopping centres in Bali.
Police also arrested his wife, alleging that she participated in the theft. Laksmi said M's wife is being held at the Kerobokan Women's Correctional Facility, where the couple's one-year-old child is staying with her.
On Friday, M's lawyer, Florentina, alleged that her client was assaulted by about 10 officers at the Kuta Police station after he refused to disclose where he was staying in Bali during questioning.
"The officers repeatedly punched him in the chest and pointed a gun at his genitals," she said. Florentina said the alleged assault aggravated M's preexisting medical condition. She said the latest medical examination found that one of his testicles had atrophied.
According to Florentina, M had been diagnosed with a testicular condition in 2019 but had remained largely symptom-free for several years before experiencing renewed pain following the alleged assault.
Florentina also said M’s wife had developed severe depression following her arrest and had attempted to take her own life while in custody.
She added that the family’s ordeal had been compounded by the death of the woman’s father in Algeria after a prolonged illness.
She also said the couple’s one-year-old child had been experiencing heart problems. Florentina said she is seeking the repatriation of the family to their home country on humanitarian grounds.
"It would be better for them to return home because all three of them are ill, and we have medical records supporting their conditions," she said. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
