Police in Bali are continuing their investigation of an Australian woman’s alleged rape in Kuta, even after the woman reportedly withdrew her statement.
The woman is supposed to be leaving Bali at some point on Friday, according to Denpasar Police’s Criminal Investigation Unit Commissioner Reinhard Habonaran Nainggolan.
The Aussie, whose name has apparently not been shared for legal reasons, reportedly said she did not want to bring the matter to court.
The woman came to a Bali police station in tears on Wednesday to file her report on the incident, which she says happened in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
She told police she had been walking alone on Jl. Legian after leaving Paddy’s Bar, when she was offered a free ride back to her hotel by an alleged ojek (motorbike taxi) driver. Police say the woman had been drinking.
Based on reports, it at first seemed like just the alleged ojek driver was involved in the incident, but AAP and Perth Now are reporting that there may have been a second man involved.
Denpasar Police Commissioner Hadi Purnomo explained why the woman was walking alone and accepted the ride.
“She was left behind (by her friends) because her shoes were broken and she was not carrying money,” he said, as quoted by Perth Now.
“That was why she accepted help to take her to her hotel.”
But the motorbike instead took her to a spot on the beach near the Jayakarta Hotel. Security guards at the hotel said they heard screaming and one ran to help, but the attackers had already fled the scene.
Even though the woman is understood to be leaving Bali and refused to do a physical examination after the alleged assault, Purnomo says police aren’t dropping the case and are “obligated” to continue their investigation.
“We’re still trying to find other evidence like CCTV, and questioning witnesses.”
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