0 Police complete dossiers on Rasyid’s reckless driving

Police said on Friday that they had completed the dossiers on M. Rasyid Amrullah Rajasa, 22, the suspect in a fatal traffic accident that killed two people on Jan. 1. Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said investigators had taken statements from the suspect, who was being treated at Dr. Sukanto National Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, on Thursday evening. “Investigators finished questioning Rasyid at the hospital although he has not fully recovered,” Rikwanto said. 

“Now, we just need to get the dossiers ready before handing the case to prosecutors.” Rasyid, the son of Coordinating Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa, was driving a BMW X5 at 120 kilometers per hour when he rear-ended a Daihatsu Luxio on the toll road. Police said the accident occurred because Rasyid, who did not test positive for alcohol or drugs, was drowsy after staying up all night to celebrate the New Year in Kemang, South Jakarta, with his girlfriend. Police named him a reckless driving suspect shortly after brief questioning at the VVIP unit of Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta where he was being treated after the incident for shock. 

Rasyid eventually appeared for questioning on Monday, escorted by his father, who said that he had told the doctors treating his son that Rasyid should appear for questioning despite his unstable condition. The questioning was cut short when Rasyid fainted in the interrogation room. Doctors confirmed that Rasyid was indeed still sick when he answered the summons. Police have questioned 19 witnesses of the collision. Rikwanto, however, pointed out that there could be a reenactment beforehand. 

He said that the decision to hold it is in the hands of investigators. Police said that Rasyid would likely be charged with reckless driving that resulted in the death and injury of other people as stipulated under the 2009 Law on traffic and public transportation. If found guilty, he could be jailed for at least five years, police said. The high-profile accident has led to various parties nudging the police to handle the case transparently and objectively, citing that Rasyid should be punished accordingly despite his father’s status. Hatta’s daughter, Siti Alia Rubiya Rajasa, is married to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s youngest son, Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono. 

The family of one of the victims has agreed to not press charges against Rasyid. Josias Simon, a criminologist from the University of Indonesia, said it was possible to settle the case outside of court if there was an agreement between the victims or family of victims. “However, the police should handle the case carefully and indiscriminately as the case involves the son of a high-ranking official.” Another criminologist from the University of Indonesia, Bambang Widodo Umar, said that Rasyid should not evade the law. “Settling the case out of court will make for a bad precedent and show that those in power are above the law.” (fzm)

source : the jakarta post