KPK Attorneys Accuse Indonesian National Police Detective Chief of Abuse of Power

Farouk Arnaz, Nivell Rayda & Heru Adriyanto

Lawyers for two suspended Corruption Eradication Commission deputy chairmen on Monday filed a new complaint against the National Police’s chief of detectives, claiming he abused his authority by meeting with a fugitive businessman.

Taufik Basari, a lawyer for commissioners Chandra Hamzah and Bibit Samad Rianto, said Comr. Gen. Susno Duaji met with Anggoro Widjaja in Singapore on July 10, three days after the commission, or KPK, had named the businessman a suspect.

"The KPK had placed Anggoro on its wanted list as of July 7, so when Susno and police investigators met Anggoro in Singapore, it could be considered a breach of the police’s code of ethics," Taufik said after filing the complaint with the National Police chief.

Lawyers for the commissioners had previously reported Susno to the police’s Internal Affairs Division for suspected abuse of authority for accusing Chandra and Bibit of taking bribes in connection with the lifting of a travel ban on Anggoro this year.

"We hope [National Police Chief] Gen. Bambag Hendarso Danuri takes firm action against Susno and handles this case professionally," said Ahmad Rifai, another lawyer for the comissioners.

"Susno admitted to the KPK’s commissioners on July 15 that he met with Anggoro in Singapore," Ahmad said.

He also said that Susno sent an SMS to KPK officials threatening them if they did not stop investigating the Bank Century case, in which Susno is believed to be involved.

The SMS, shown to reporters, carried a number identified as Susno’s. Susno could not be reached for comment.

The head of the KPK’s legal bureau, Chaidir Ramli, said threats had been sent to graft investigation chief Suedi Hussein, graft investigation and prosecution head Ade Raharja, and deputy chairmen Haryono Umar and Mochammad Jasin.

Separately, Insp. Gen. Oegroseno, the head of the National Police’s Professionalism and Security Division, said his officers had already held a three-hour "dialogue" with Susno.

"We asked Susno, along with the special crimes director [Brig. Gen. Edmond Ilyas] about what he knew about the allegations," Oegroseno said, adding that a report would be sent to the National Police chief soon.

The face-off between the powerful, if beleaguered, KPK and the police has exposed major flaws in the nation’s law enforcement system, and led to widespread fears that the police are trying to tame the commission, which has investigated and prosecuted several police officers for corruption.

Ahmad said his team would bring the abuse of authority complaint against Susno to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono today and demand the officer’s suspension.

Meanwhile, the South Jakarta District Court began hearing a pretrial motion brought by the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (Maki) to have the charges against Bibit and Chandra thrown out.

"We have asked the court to rule that the charges are illegal and order the National Police to revoke the suspect status of Bibit Samad Riyanto and Chandra Hamzah," said Maki Chairman Bonyamin Saiman.

"The police had no preliminary evidence to support their accusations against the two," Bonyamin said.

The defense team for the National Police argued that the case could not be challenged through a pretrial motion, and even if it could Maki did not have the authority to file such a motion.

"Maki is by law not permitted to file a pretrial motion," said police lawyer Iza Fadri.


Sumber: The Jakarta Globe