Police asked to resubmit graft case against Zawawi<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): City police are to requestion Ahmad Zawawi after
\nthe prosecutor's office returned dossiers on a case accusing the
\nformer head of the city's logistics agency of corruption.<\/p>\n
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Jakarta Police chief Maj.
\nGen. Noegroho Djajoesman said the case would be refocused on
\nspecific charges at the behest of prosecutors.<\/p>\n
\"We'll question Pak Zawawi in detail regarding his involvement
\nin the alleged corruption and summon more witnesses and experts
\nto help us build a case,\" Noegroho said.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office returned the dossiers on
\nZawawi's case on Monday and asked the police to provide clear
\ncharges backed up with thorough evidence against the 56-year-old
\nArmy colonel.<\/p>\n
Zawawi has been in police detention since Sept. 24 for his
\nalleged role in the illegal issue of rice delivery orders and the
\nunlawful export of 1,900 metric tons of rice to Sarawak in
\nMalaysia.<\/p>\n
Syahmardan Lubis, the head of the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office,
\nsaid the case constructed by police against Zawawi was lacking in
\neligible evidence.<\/p>\n
\"If Zawawi is accused of corruption, the police must show us
\nwhat he has done wrong. If he is charged with misusing the
\ndelivery order provision, where is the regulation that he has
\nviolated?\" Lubis told the media on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Noegroho said the prosecutor's office had requested the police
\nto resubmit their case and include the missing details.<\/p>\n
\"We'll try to fulfill that requirement so that the case can be
\nwrapped up as soon as possible,\" Noegroho said without
\nelaborating.<\/p>\n
The police believe Zawawi should be charged under Article 1
\nand Article 28 of Law No. 3\/1971 on corruption and Article 1 of
\nLaw No. 11\/1963, the controversial subversion law.<\/p>\n
Zawawi, who served as the agency's head for about five months,
\nis still in police custody.<\/p>\n
Noegroho rejected a request for bail submitted by Zawawi's
\nrelatives.<\/p>\n
\"We need him to help us complete the dossiers on our case
\nimmediately,\" the officer said.<\/p>\n
During police questioning last month, Zawawi admitted to
\nstealing more than half of Jakarta's daily rice supply and
\nselling it on to his business partners.<\/p>\n
The city's estimated daily rice requirement is approximately
\n5,000 metric tons, but the agency consistently distributes less
\nthan 2,500 tons.<\/p>\n
Zawawi's arrest has apparently satisfied many Jakartans who
\nhave faced difficulties purchasing rice in recent months due to
\nits scarcity and high price.<\/p>\n
He was replaced as the chief of Dolog Jaya by Sonny Harsono,
\nthe former head of the South Sumatra Logistics Agency. Sonny was
\nrecently accused of malfeasance in his former post.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, city councilor Djafar Badjeber urged the central
\ngovernment to reconsider Sonny's appointment in a bid to avoid a
\nrepeat of massive rice thefts from Dolog Jaya in the future.<\/p>\n
\"The city is still shocked by Zawawi's case. If the post is
\nthen given to a similar type of official, I'm afraid that the
\nsame thing will happen again and it will be the poor amongst us
\nthat suffer the most,\" Djafar said.<\/p>\n
It has been reported that Sonny, a brother-in-law of
\nCoordinating Minister of Economy, Finance and Industry Ginandjar
\nKartasasmita, faces questioning for his alleged role in a rice
\nscam in South Sumatra. (emf\/ind)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-asked-to-resubmit-graft-case-against-zawawi-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}