Security sector watchdog Fundasaun Mahein has asked questions of the Criminal Investigation Service (SIK) and its failure to prosecute a suspect in a Bebora homicide.
Fundasaun Mahein vice director Joao Almeida said the suspect, known as AJ, was alleged to have murdered his girlfriend, known as ST, by encircling her neck with a wire and then stabbing her to death.
“The investigation has taken too long and I do not know how the investigation is going,” Almeida said.
The investigation of the September 2013 murder had not provided any clear information about the case, he said.
Almeida said the public would lose their confidence in the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) if the service continued to fail to prosecute serious crimes.
“It provides opportunities for other perpetrators to commit similar crimes,” he said.
PNTL exercise commander, Chief Inspector Manuel Alves said the prosecution process was pending as the suspect was suffering from illness.
The suspect was discharged from hospital in May, at which point SIK called him in for questioning but the suspect’s health quickly deteriorated.
“We need to investigate the accused in a good condition, and the investigation process must be done by the police,” Chief Inspector Alves said.
