Panwaslu clears police chief of partiality charges<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto and Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post,
\nYogyakarta\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Yogyakarta Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) cleared
\non Thursday Yogyakarta city police chief Sr. Comr. Condro Kirono
\nof partiality charges, saying that he did not intentionally store
\nthousands of T-shirts bearing the image of presidential candidate
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta a Panwaslu member told a committee hearing the
\nalleged election partiality charge against former Banyumas Police
\nchief Sr. Comr. Andi Mapparesa that the officer was guilty of
\nignoring a requirement for fairness and honesty during an
\nelection.<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta Panwaslu chairman Teguh Basuki said on Thursday
\nthat after his team interrogated seven witnesses, including
\nCondro, the team concluded that the T-shirts had been stored only
\ntemporarily at the city police headquarters.<\/p>\n
\"Based on our clarification, the T-shirts belonged to Sena
\nRiyakudu, Condro's brother-in-law. He used the police station as
\nthe delivery address because his house is far from the city.
\nTherefore, Condro can't be blamed for storing the T-shirts,\" said
\nTeguh.<\/p>\n
He said that the T-shirts were taken in private vehicles to
\nCondro's official residence after two hours.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Panwaslu member Masyhudi Ridwan told a committee
\ntrying Mapparesa that the officer violated Article 2 of Law No.
\n23\/2003, which stipulates that people must be fair and honest in
\nproviding information on candidates during an election.<\/p>\n
\"The hearing has listened to the expert's opinion and will
\nhand down a decision next week. According to him, Mapparesa has
\nbeen proven to have acted unfairly and dishonestly in the
\nelection. However, from the three charges leveled against him, he
\ncommitted only one violation,\" said Soenarko.<\/p>\n
He explained that there was no evidence to prove that
\nMapparesa had been involved in money politics or unauthorized
\ncampaigning at the May 28 meeting.<\/p>\n
Mapparesa admitted in front of the committee last Wednesday
\nthat he had been partial and had acted beyond his authority by
\nendorsing President Megawati Soekarnoputri in front of the family
\nmembers of police personnel and retired police officers in a
\nmeeting on May 29.<\/p>\n
After the hearing, Comr. Gen. Binarto, chairman of the
\ncommittee, said that it would not be hearing other opinions from
\noutside, including from experts, as Mapparesa had admitted his
\nmisconduct.<\/p>\n
Committee members, however, failed on Monday to agree on
\nwitness testimony and the kind of punishment to be handed down to
\nMapparesa, prompting them to seek an expert opinion.<\/p>\n
\"We need to hear an expert opinion to enable the committee to
\ntake a decision quickly,\" said Paiman.<\/p>\n
The police have been under fire recently over their alleged
\nlack of neutrality in the elections.<\/p>\n
In addition to the two cases, the North Sumatra Panwaslu
\nestablished a special team to investigate the alleged involvement
\nof Medan Police in endorsing Megawati at a meeting on July 24 in
\na restaurant in Jl. Adam Maliki.<\/p>\n
Investigations, however, may not proceed as students who first
\nmade the allegations were too afraid to report the matter to the
\npolice, according to the North Sumatra Panwaslu.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/panwaslu-clears-police-chief-of-partiality-charges-1447893297",
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