Police defend probe in alleged corruption acts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The police has the legal right to investigate
\nthe alleged acts of corruption committed by three former
\ndirectors at the central Bank Indonesia, according to a senior
\ncity police officer.<\/p>\n
The comment was made Wednesday by Jakarta Police spokesman Lt.
\nCol. E. Aritonang in response to Tuesday's remarks by Attorney
\nGeneral Singgih, who said the police had no right to probe
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
\"The police have every right to investigate any kind of crime,
\nincluding corruption,\" Aritonang said.<\/p>\n
\"And, our rights to investigate are authorized by the law.\"<\/p>\n
He said the police's current investigation into alleged acts
\nof corruption committed by Hendrobudiyanto, Paul Soetopo
\nTjokronegoro and Heru Soepraptomo had nothing to do with pride.<\/p>\n
\"It doesn't mean that we're arrogant just because we're doing
\nit,\" Aritonang said.<\/p>\n
Singgih told journalists during his year-end media conference
\non Tuesday that all corruption investigations, including the one
\ninto the three former BI directors, should be left to his office.<\/p>\n
He said the National Police had earlier cosigned an agreement
\non the matter with the Supreme Court, Ministry of Justice and
\nAttorney General's Office.<\/p>\n
Aritonang said that the police's authority as investigators to
\nprobe any crime was stipulated by Articles Six and 284 of the
\nCriminal Code Procedures.<\/p>\n
\"The articles state that the police is one of the authorized
\ninvestigators in probing any crime, \" he said.<\/p>\n
\"The authority of police as investigators is also supported by
\nthe 1997 Police Law Number 28,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He accepted that prosecutors also had the same rights and
\nauthorities as investigators to probe all crimes.<\/p>\n
Aritonang's remarks were supported by criminologist Adrianus
\nMeliala and law expert Loebby Loqman.<\/p>\n
Contacted by The Jakarta Post yesterday, Meliala said both
\nparties could jointly investigate the case of the former BI
\ndirectors as they were both authorized by the existing laws.<\/p>\n
\"But apparently, each party prefers to hide behind the law to
\njustify their acts rather than accept each other's rights and try
\nto cooperate,\" said the University of Indonesia lecturer.<\/p>\n
\"I think the police are trying to warn the prosecutors to
\naccept the reality that they (the prosecutors) are not the only
\nparty who can investigate crimes,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sharing Meliala's opinion, Loebby, of the same university,
\ncalled on the police and prosecutors to cooperate better in doing
\ntheir jobs as law enforcers.<\/p>\n
Loebby said that it would be better for the police to inform
\nthe Prosecutors' Office about the case through the official
\nnotification on the investigation.<\/p>\n
\"It's understandable if the notification had not been sent to
\nthe Prosecutors' Office because the police is not sure yet
\nwhether or not the three former directors committed corruption,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"But it would be better if the police sent it immediately.
\nThey should work together in the case. If the investigation
\ncannot not prove anything, just call it off,\" Loebby said. (cst)<\/p>",
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