Dili, July 30, 2026 (Media Democracia) – The Timor-Leste National Police through the Dili Municipal Command executed a warrant from the Dili District Court of First Instance (TJPID) based on NUC: 0289/2024 PCCIC, authorizing the Dili Municipal Criminal Investigation Section to detain a member of the Scientific Cr iminal Investigation Police (PCIC – Portuguese acronym) with the initial ‘D’ for allegedly being involved in a case of obstruction of public authority.
On Wednesday today 29/07 at around 09:00, the Dili Municipal Criminal Investigation Section arrived at the Scientific Criminal Investigation Police office in Colmera to execute the said warrant.
Before carrying out the detention, members of the Criminal Investigation Section (SIK) of the Dili Municipal Command first presented the detention warrant to the PCIC member with initial D. After receiving and complying with the warrant, the PCIC member was taken to the Dili Municipal Command. There, the authorities carried out the detention and placed him in the detention cell according to the warrant issued by the Court.
The Police detained the Scientific Criminal Investigation Police (PCIC) member with initial D, because he is suspected of committing the crime of obstruction of public authority, as provided for and punished under Article 243 of the Timor-Leste Penal Code.
The PCIC member with initial D cooperated with the Police during the detention process and got into the police car to be taken to the Dili Municipal Command. After arriving at the Dili Municipal Command, the police immediately placed the said member in the detention cell, and held him as a detainee to serve a 24-hour detention period in accordance with legal procedures.
Thus, on Friday (30/7) he will be presented to the Court for the First Interrogation at the Dili District Court of First Instance.
Previously, the PCIC member with initial D was also a suspect in the case of a disagreement between members of the Criminal Investigation Service Directorate (DSIK) and the Scientific Criminal Investigation Police (PSIK), which occurred on Monday (27/7), during an operation against suspects in an online scam call center case in the Kampung Baru area, Dili.
When the team from the Criminal Investigation Service Directorate (DSIK) went to the crime scene to identify 62 suspects in the scam call center case, personnel from the Scientific Criminal Investigation Police (PCIC) were also at the location carrying out identification of the suspects.
During this activity, a discussion occurred between personnel from the two institutions, which eventually turned into shouting at each other because each claimed they were carrying out work according to the competencies given by law to each institution.
The situation did not last long and was brought under control when the police commander leading the DSIK team intervened to calm the discussion. After that, the teams from both institutions continued carrying out work according to the competencies and responsibilities determined by law for each institution.
“Operations were initially normal. When the state assigns two institutions that do the same job, I think there is no need. In fact, there is no need to have two institutions with the same work because it can harm the operation we are carrying out. But this, we try to minimize conflicts because it is a State decision. We try to minimize conflicts in a peaceful way to resolve the operation we are carrying out.” Joao Belo told journalists at his workplace, the PNTL General Command in Kaikoli on Tuesday.
According to the Criminal Investigation Organization Law (LOIK) No. 9/2022 which defines the competencies of the Criminal Investigation Service Directorate of the Timor-Leste National Police (PNTL) as follows:
Offenses against physical integrity, Simple Offense against Physical Integrity (Article 145), Serious Offense against Physical Integrity (Article 146), Aggravation (Article 147) (noting that this includes because of Article 146), Mistreatment of Incapacitated Persons (Article 153), Mistreatment of Spouse (Article 154), Mistreatment of a Minor (Article 155), (Article 156) Aggravation due to Result. Threat (Article 157), Coercion (Article 158), Serious Coercion (Article 159).
Meanwhile, the competencies of the Scientific Criminal Investigation Police (PCIC) are:
Homicide (Article 138) Aggravated Homicide (Article 139) and Negligent Homicide (Article 140), Offenses.
Sexual Offenses;
Sexual Coercion (Article 177), Rape (Article 172), Aggravation (Article 173) (noting that this is included because of Sexual Exploitation by a Third Party (Article 174)), Sexual Abuse of a Minor (Article 177), Sexual Act with an Adolescent (Article 178), Sexual Abuse of a Person Unable to Resist (Article 179).
Report By: Estefánia Cardoso
Photo: Estefánia Cardoso