Dhani’s son has driven since 6th grade, say police

JAKARTA. City police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said Abdul Qadir Jaelani, alias Dul, the youngest son of musicians Ahmad Dhani and Maia Estianty, had been able to drive a car since he was a sixth grader in elementary school.

“He learned to drive from his friends, who were possibly older than him and who had cars. Since then, he started to try driving,” said Rikwanto in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

Dul was named a suspect in a fatal crash on the Jagorawi toll road that killed seven people.

According to Rikwanto, Dhani was fully aware his son could drive. “Dhani did not allow his son to drive, however, so he provided him with a driver,” he said.

Rikwanto said investigators from the Jakarta Police’s traffic directorate had questioned Dul at his home in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, on Monday afternoon. He said the officers asked 21 questions to the 13-year-old.

Dul admitted to the investigators that before the incident, he had lost concentration and control of his vehicle.

“Around four kilometers after leaving the Cibubur toll gate, AQJ [Abdul Qadir Jaelani] admitted he had been warned by his friend, Nauval, that there was a car in front of them. He later turned his steering wheel sharply to the right, hitting a Daihatsu Gran Max that was heading in the opposite direction,” said Rikwanto.

“In line with the 2002 Child Protection Law, the investigators did not wear official uniforms,” Rikwanto carried on.

“The questioning was carried out by five investigators, accompanied by three officials from the Correctional Agency, AQJ and Ahmad Dhani’s lawyers.” (The Jakarta Post)