RAPE PROBE ALMOST COMPLETED

VICTIM......Siti Maemanah Kasman at a press conference at MCA Bukit Mertajam Office. Siti Maemanah alleged she was raped by three policemen in a police station.

GEORGE TOWN: The police investigation into the alleged rape of an Indonesian woman by three policemen at a police station in Prai, near here, last Friday is 95 percent completed.

Penang Police Chief, Datuk Abdul Rahim Hanafi said police had so far recorded statements from 10 witnesses and the investigation papers would be submitted to the deputy public prosecutor soon for further action.

He assured that the investigation was being conducted transparently without protecting certain quarters and that a special team had been formed to expedite the investigation.

"We urge that the public not speculate on the case as it can adversely affect relations between the two countries (Malaysia and Indonesia," he told a press conference, here, today.

It was reported that the Indonesian woman claimed that she was forced to have sex with the three policemen who had earlier arrested her at a flats area before she was brought to a nearby police station at about 6.20am on Friday.

Abdul Rahim said the victim, Siti Maemanah Kasman, 25, was now placed at the Indonesian Consulate, here.

The three policemen allegedly involved, aged 20 to 30, are being remanded until Nov 16 to facilitate the investigation under Section 376 of the Penal Code, which carries a jail term of up to 20 years and whipping upon conviction.

Abdul Rahim said the three suspects could be sacked immediately from the police force if proven guilty.

The Acting Indonesian Consul General here, Sofiana Mufidah who was also present at the press conference, called on Indonesians to be calm and to control their emotions over the case and hoped that it could be solved in a just manner.

"Indonesians sympathize with the victim, and we hope that such an incident will not recur while we also urge all quarters to be patient for the investigation to be fully completed," she said.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry views seriously the alleged rape of an Indonesian woman by three policemen in Prai, Penang last Friday, says its Minister Datuk Seri Anifah Aman.

In a statement issued Tuesday, he noted that the three policemen were now under remand over the rape incident alleged to have occurred at 7am on Nov 9.

"The ministry has contacted the Penang Criminal Investigation Department head, SAC Mazlan Kesah on the day of the alleged incident to obtain more details. We were informed that the three policemen involved were being remanded and investigated under Section 376 of the Penal Code," he said in the statement.

Anifah said the ministry was also informed that the completed investigation report would be forwarded to the deputy public prosecutor for further action, while a special team had already been formed by Penang police to investigate the case thoroughly.

"The ministry will follow closely the development and will give its full cooperation to the Indonesian government over this case," he said. (Bernama)