Banyumas military chief removed from position<\/p>\n
Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto<\/p>\n
Lt. Col. Rukidi has been removed as chief of the Banyumas
\ndistrict military command for the role he played in releasing two
\nprisoners from Purwokerto jail.<\/p>\n
Central Java's Diponegoro Military Commander Maj. Gen. Marsono
\nappointed Col. Mufad Santoso, current chief of the Banyumas-based
\nWijayakusuma Military Command, to replace Rukidi.<\/p>\n
A military ceremony marking the transfer of post from Rukidi
\nto his temporary successor Mufad, who oversees security in the
\ntowns of Banyumas, Kedu and Pekalongan, was held briefly on
\nFriday in Banyumas.<\/p>\n
Marsono, who presided over the ceremony, said Rukidi was
\nremoved from his post for "overstepping authority in carrying out
\nhis duties" when releasing the two prisoners -- Sarno Hadi and
\nSuwandi.<\/p>\n
Police recaptured the two men last week. Sarno was caught at
\nhis home in Purwokerto and Suwandi was apprehended while buying
\nfood in the town square.<\/p>\n
Based on findings of the local police, Sarno is one of
\nRukidi's relatives.<\/p>\n
Purwokerto penitentiary warden Didi Damaiarsa said Rukidi had
\nproposed seven times that Sarno be temporarily freed for
\nquestioning in relation to a counterfeit money case involving the
\ntwo prisoners.<\/p>\n
Didi said that he eventually approved the request by the
\nBanyumas district military chief. He did not elaborate further.<\/p>\n
"He (Rukidi) had good intentions to unravel the case, but just
\nthe same it is intolerable because he overstepped his authority,"
\nMufad told journalists after the military ceremony.<\/p>\n
He added that the removal of Rukidi was part of the military's
\nefforts to improve its bad image.<\/p>\n
Rukidi apparently admitted his guilt and said he was ready to
\nbear the consequences of his unlawful act, while apologizing to
\nall members of the Wijayakusuma Military Command.<\/p>\n
"I admit to this wrongdoing," he said tearfully in a speech
\nduring Friday's transfer-of-post ceremony.<\/p>\n
Mufad also said the local military police would investigate
\nthe shooting of 14 suspected criminals by police last year in
\nBanyumas.<\/p>\n
The shootings were unjustified because they were in violation
\nof prevailing procedures, he said without elaborating.<\/p>\n
"The perpetrators should therefore be processed by the law,
\neven though they are police who were carrying out their duties,"
\nMufad said.<\/p>\n
He said efforts to probe the shootings were, however, stalled
\nas the Banyumas Police station had not submitted reports of the
\nincidents.<\/p>\n
Between August and November last year, fourteen suspected
\ncriminals were shot in the legs by local policemen who allegedly
\ndid not follow procedure.<\/p>\n
Some of the victims claimed that the reason they were shot was
\nnot because they had tried to escape arrest. Others told their
\nfamilies they had been blindfolded before being shot.<\/p>\n
Two of the shot criminals lodged complaints against Banyumas
\nDistrict Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Sukamto Handoko to the
\nPurwokerto-based military police in December. However, there has
\nbeen no definite response.<\/p>\n
Activists and legal experts said such shootings were in
\nviolation of human rights.<\/p>\n
Lawyers from the Kosgoro Legal Aid Institute in Purwokerto
\nhave reported the shooting of their client, Abdul Hakim, one of
\nthe victims, to the National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas
\nHAM).<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/banyumas-military-chief-removed-from-position-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}