Ghalib investigation halted due to insufficient evidence<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The military police announced on Thursday the
\ninvestigation into corruption allegations against former attorney
\ngeneral Andi M. Ghalib had been ended due to insufficient
\nevidence.<\/p>\n
Military police chief Maj. Gen. Djasrie Marin said at a media
\nconference here the military police had examined two bank
\naccounts belonging to Ghalib, but found no evidence of his
\ninvolvement in corruption.<\/p>\n
"Pak Ghalib cannot be charged as a suspect because of
\ninadequate evidence. Therefore, the investigation has been
\nstopped until we can find new evidence," he said.<\/p>\n
The military police opened an investigation into Ghalib
\nfollowing a report from the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW)
\nalleging Rp 1.8 billion (US$259,740.25) had been transferred to
\nthe accounts of Ghalib and his wife Andi Murniati.<\/p>\n
The organization alleged there were 11 money transfers to the
\ncouple's accounts at a private bank in South Jakarta between Feb.
\n12 and May 6. It said copies of the transfers were mailed to the
\nICW office by an unidentified party.<\/p>\n
The money was transferred by businessmen The Nin King and
\nPrayogo Pangestu, who were being questioned by the Attorney
\nGeneral's Office for alleged banking violations.<\/p>\n
Ghalib denied the allegation, saying the money transferred by
\nthe two businessmen was a donation to the Indonesian Wrestling
\nAssociation, which Ghalib chairs.<\/p>\n
The city police, which is also involved in the investigation,
\nnamed both Prayogo and The Nin King as suspects in the case.<\/p>\n
Djasrie said it was difficult for the military police to
\ncontinue its investigation following ICW coordinator Teten
\nMasduki's refusal to testify.<\/p>\n
"The ICW's report on the alleged corruption cannot be treated
\nas evidence because Teten declined to testify," he said.<\/p>\n
Teten said on Thursday both the military and the government
\nlacked the commitment to seriously carry out the investigation.<\/p>\n
"We have long seen that the military police is not serious in
\ninvestigating the alleged corruption.<\/p>\n
"If The Nin King and Prayogo have been declared suspects, why
\nnot Ghalib," he said.<\/p>\n
He said the ICW's information on the alleged corruption was
\nvalid and accurate, and the organization was ready to do what it
\ncould to aid the investigation.<\/p>\n
Teten said he refused to testify for the military police
\nbecause Ghalib had not been formally declared a suspect.<\/p>\n
He said his organization was aware of a political conspiracy
\nto freeze the investigation and turn the blame on the ICW.<\/p>\n
"The military police asked me to sign a dossier which would
\nhave implicated me for slandering Ghalib ....<\/p>\n
"I think the Habibie government cannot be trusted by the
\npeople to investigate the alleged corruption of the past," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said it would be futile to supply new evidence to the
\nmilitary police because it was not serious in investigating the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
He also said it was not necessary to identify the party which
\nsent the ICW the information on Ghalib's alleged corruption. He
\nsaid the anticorruption law which was recently passed by the
\nHouse of Representatives stipulated the identities of those
\noffering proof of corruption should be protected.<\/p>\n
"Of paramount importance is that the military police
\ninvestigate the alleged corruption," he said.<\/p>\n
The coordinator of ICW's lawyers, Iskandar Sonhaji, said the
\nmilitary leadership had not been serious in handling the case.<\/p>\n
"Ghalib was never summoned because military chief Gen. Wiranto
\nnever asked the military police to do so," he said.<\/p>\n
Ghalib appeared before the military police once to deny the
\ncorruption allegations.<\/p>\n
In a related development, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen.
\nTogar M. Sianipar said the police investigation into The Nin King
\nand Prajogo was still underway.<\/p>\n
"The investigation is still ongoing. As of today, I have not
\nreceived any requests that our police detectives drop the case."<\/p>\n
"If the police investigators do not have evidence to support
\nthe allegations, we can also drop the investigation," Togar said.<\/p>\n
Togar added, however, that if the investigation was ended it
\ndid not mean the case was closed, because the police could reopen
\nthe investigation if new evidence was discovered.<\/p>\n
"There is no intention to close the case, but it is possible
\nthe investigation will be stopped due to lack of evidence," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He also said that although the two businessmen had been named
\nas suspects, it did not mean they had already been found guilty.
\n(rms\/emf\/yudha)<\/p>",
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