member of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) with the initials AS has been acquitted of an assault charge.
The assault occurred at the Audian Super Xerox warehouse on January 31, 2011.
The defendant told the court he received a threatening phone call from an employee of the warehouse with the initial J.
Accompanied by a friend, the defendant went looking for J at the warehouse where he was confronted by his female victim, J.
AS told the court E was in a rage, shouting at him and not allowing him to speak.
“I do not know why she came out and shouted at us and said she was not afraid of the police,” the defendant said during his trial at the Dili District Court.
He said E’s son appeared at the sound of her shouts and kicked AS but the defendant moved aside.
E then made to hit AS, leading him to strike her on the cheek.
“I hit her cheek and her glasses fell and were broken,” defendant said.
The defendant said his actions were in self-defence as he was provoked by the victim.
The victim was not present at the trial.
After hearing the statement from the defendant, Prosecutor Vicente Brito and Hernani Rangel from Public Ministry called on the court to order the defendant to pay restitution to the victim as he had broken her glasses.
Arguing for the defendant, public defender Olga Barreto Nunes said the incident was the fault of the victim as she had provoked the defendant, and asked the court to acquit her client.
Judge President Julio Gantez acquitted AS, reasoning that the offence was minor.
He told the defendant in future to refrain from similar actions, as he was a police officer.
