Indonesian senior cop quits amid outcry over death of junior officer

JAKARTA • One of Indonesia's highest-ranking police officers has resigned amid investigations into an alleged cover-up involving the death of a junior cop that has ignited public anger and fuelled criticisms of abuse of power.

The scandal is widely seen as a major setback for the national police force, which has been trying to regain public trust following longstanding complaints of corruption and brutality.

Police chief of internal affairs Ferdi Sambo submitted his resignation but it is still being assessed, said national police chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo at a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday, without elaborating on the reasons for the resignation.

Sambo was named a suspect and charged with the premeditated murder of a junior cop, whose death was initially portrayed by the police as the result of a gunfight with another officer.

The junior officer, Mr Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat, was Sambo's bodyguard and accused of sexually assaulting his wife at their residence, the police had previously claimed.

Several officers have since been suspended over the case and some politicians are calling for the resignation of the national police chief.

President Joko Widodo has also weighed in, calling for complete transparency in the investigations of the junior police officer's death.

Mr Hutabarat's family members have refused to accept the police's initial explanation for the death. They hired lawyers and demanded an independent inquiry after discovering bruises on his body that suggested torture could have taken place before his death.

Photos of Mr Hutabarat's wounds were circulated on social media, triggering public sympathy and demands for justice.

As investigations deepen, a total of 97 officers have been rounded up for alleged ethics breaches and tampering with the crime scene.

It was also revealed that Sambo and other high-ranking officers were allegedly involved in an illegal gambling business, according to the police.

BLOOMBERG