Plaintiffs drop lawsuit against Gen. Bimantoro<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Comr. Sr. Alfons Loemau and seven other middle-
\nranking police officers withdrew on Wednesday their lawsuit
\nagainst the National Police Commander Gen. Surojo Bimantoro.<\/p>\n
Their lawyer, Irianto Subiakto, said that his clients decided
\nto withdraw the suit as they wanted to make peace with the police
\nchief.<\/p>\n
"Comr. Sr. Alfons supports the process of reconciliation
\nwithin the police force. He does not want the process to be
\ndisrupted by the lawsuit," Irianto told reporters in a press
\nconference at the South Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
He underlined that the plaintiffs decided to withdraw the
\nsuits voluntarily.<\/p>\n
"It was not made under police coercion," he said.<\/p>\n
The press conference was also attended by the court chief,
\nLalu Mariyun, who announced that there would not be any hearing
\nas the suit had been revoked.<\/p>\n
The court was scheduled to open the hearing of the case on
\nWednesday based upon the suit that was registered last week by
\nthe lawyer.<\/p>\n
The eight officers had sued Bimantoro following what they
\nclaimed was their unlawful arrest and detention in connection
\nwith the insubordination charges imposed against them.<\/p>\n
They also said in the lawsuit that the National Police could
\nnot charge them for violating the military criminal code, arguing
\nthat the police must now abide by civilian laws and regulations.<\/p>\n
All eight officers are still under police detention.<\/p>\n
The officers were accused of staging a revolt against
\nBimantoro as they discussed Bimantoro's defiant stance against
\nthen President Abdurrahman Wahid. The discussion was held along
\nwith dozens of middle-ranking officers at National Police
\nHeadquarters on July 9.<\/p>\n
The officers criticized Bimantoro for refusing to step down as
\nordered by the then president and regarded him disobedient.<\/p>\n
Following the discussion, the eight officers were summoned,
\nbut Alfons failed to show up. He was later declared a fugitive
\nand arrested at his home in South Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Irianto told reporters that even though the suit was withdrawn
\nthis did not necessarily mean that the eight officers had pleaded
\nguilty or approved of the arrest and detention.<\/p>\n
He also called the police chief to release them soon, to
\nrehabilitate their name and to allow them to go back to work.<\/p>\n
The lawyer said that on Friday he was told by an officer from
\nthe National Police Headquarters that he was not allowed to see
\nhis clients.<\/p>\n
He said it was not until Tuesday that he and the other lawyers
\ncould meet Alfons, who later told them about the decision to
\nwithdraw the suit.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Bimantoro's lawyer, Comr. Sr. Suyitno, responded
\npositively to the plaintiffs' decision. He said that case would
\nbe discussed internally by the National Police.<\/p>\n
He said he did not know when Alfons and the other seven
\nofficers would be released from detention.<\/p>\n
"It all depends on their direct supervisor," he said, adding
\nthat Alfons was assigned to the information and data processing
\nunit before his arrest.<\/p>\n
He said that the withdrawal of the suit would not
\nautomatically solve the problem but he believed the police would
\naccept Alfons and the other seven officers.<\/p>\n
"What's clear is that he is not an enemy because all are part
\nof the National Police community," he said.(04)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/plaintiffs-drop-lawsuit-against-gen-bimantoro-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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