Ipda Nyariman, who was the chief of the Karangsembung sub-precinct in Kebumen, Central Java, was found dead after apparently hanging himself in his office yesterday.
National Police Spokesman Boy Rafli Amar announced to the media today that Nyariman’s motive for his apparent suicide is still being investigated.
However, based on information gathered by the local media, Nyariman chose to end his own life after allegedly failing to return bribe money he had received previously.
Nyariman allegedly received a Rp 250 million bribe from Sudiman, a police officer from another precinct, so that Nyariman could pull some strings to make sure that Sudiman’s son graduated from the police academy.
However, Sudiman’s son failed at the academy and Nyariman had apparently already used up the bribe money, so he was unable to return it to Sudiman.
“The matter was mediated with the precinct chief, head of human resources and internal affairs. As promised, the sub-precinct chief was due to return the money to Sudiman today. But he ended up hanging himself,” said a police officer at the Kebumen precinct who refused to disclose his identity, as quoted by Warta Kota yesterday.
What is perhaps as troubling as Nyariman’s suicide is the allegation that many higher ups in the police force knew about the bribe and yet did not act accordingly to punish Nyariman and Sudiman. It’s a disturbing sign of just how much pervasive bribery and corruption might be amongst our country’s law enforcers.
