Langkat Regent's Human Cage Case; Police Question 65 Witnesses

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The North Sumatra Regional Police have questioned more than 65 witnesses related to the cage case at the house of the inactive Langkat Regent, Terbit Rencana Perangin Angin, where there are suspicions of modern slavery. The police are also conducting exhumation on the graves of two former occupants of the cage who allegedly died from abuse. 

"The number of witnesses in the human cage case has increased. Currently, there are more than 65 people," Hadi said in a statement released Sunday, February 13.

The 65 witnesses include people who had lived in the cells, their family members, as well as people with knowledge of the alleged crime that took place in the vicinity.

Hadi said the police continue to investigate the case to reveal whether abuse and persecution took place in the cells used to house people with drug addiction.

In addition to questioning dozens of witnesses, the police have also dug the graves of two former occupants of the cells, suspected to have died from mistreatment during their time in the cells.

The two people were buried in two different cemeteries; The Pondok VII Public Cemetery in Sawit Seberang Village and the Family Graveyard of Dusun VII Suka Jahe, Sei Bingei District, both in Langkat Regency. Hadi said authorities have also conducted an autopsy.

According to Hadi, based on the autopsy results from Saturday, February 12, "investigators have made some important notes."

From these notes, it was revealed that the late Sarianto Ginting was admitted to the cell in Regent Langkat's house on July 12, 2021, and died three days later on July 15, 2021. "Meanwhile, victim Abdul entered on February 14, 2019 and died on February 20, 2019," Hadi said.

Read: Former Langkat Regent Suspected of Corruption, Slavery

MOH KHORY ALFARIZI