Indonesian police deny political cover-up in arrest of murder case suspect

In a chilling turn of events, teenagers Vina and Eky were brutally murdered by a gang of 11 members in West Java, who also raped Vina before dumping their bodies in Cirebon. Eight men were convicted of attempted murder, with seven receiving life sentences. One of the accused denied involvement, claiming he was being used as a scapegoat to protect the image of government officials’ relatives linked to the case.

Despite the allegations, police stressed that only one fugitive remained at large, dismissing rumors of government officials’ involvement. The victims’ family expressed concern over the omission of two suspects from the charge sheet, questioning the accuracy of the investigation.

In a bid to seek justice, the National Human Rights Commission urged authorities to probe claims of custodial torture and intensify efforts to locate the missing suspects. The case of Vina and Eky adds to a series of true-crime stories that have captivated audiences, including the infamous trial of Jessica Wongso, immortalized in the Netflix documentary “Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee and Jessica Wongso.”