Security beefed up at prosecutor's office after attack<\/p>\n
Luh Putu Trisna Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post, Mataram<\/p>\n
Security was tight at the West Nusa Tenggara Prosecutor's Office
\non Tuesday following Monday's attack by thousands of alleged
\nsupporters of Governor Lalu Serinata demanding the release of
\nnine jailed graft suspects.<\/p>\n
Dozens of police were on guard on Tuesday, while all visitors
\nto the office had to pass through a metal detector.<\/p>\n
According to the prosecutor office's public relations officer,
\nMaryadi IK, the security measures were taken as a precaution
\nafter the attack. \"Security measures are being taken in
\ncoordination with the police,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The prosecutor's office also restricted visitors wanting to
\nvisit the nine jailed former councillors who were arrested last
\nweek after 12 people, including three councillors who are still
\nin office, were named suspects in a mark-up case involving Rp
\n24.5 billion (US$2.7 million) of the West Nusa Tenggara 2001
\nprovincial budget.<\/p>\n
\"We're simply being selective in giving permission. We only
\ngive permission to their close relatives (to visit),\" Maryadi
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Protesters smashed the prosecutor office's windows and injured
\nseveral journalists covering the protest as well as Mataram
\nPolice chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Ismail Bafadal by pelting them with
\nstones.<\/p>\n
The protest was allegedly conducted to show support for
\nGovernor Lalu Serinata who will be questioned as a witness in the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
The protesters feared the governor, who was head of the budget
\ncommittee when the case took place, would be named a suspect
\nafter the questioning. The protesters also demanded the release
\nof the jailed graft suspects.<\/p>\n
Ismail Bafadal said on Tuesday the police were now
\ninvestigating the alleged involvement of the governor and the
\njailed graft suspects in the attack.<\/p>\n
\"If he's (the governor) proven to have been involved in the
\nattack, we'll follow it up. We don't want to rush in saying he
\nwas directly or indirectly involved in the case. There's always
\nother possibilities, including the nine jailed suspects as well
\nas the provincial administration officials who joined the
\nprotesters in the attack,\" Ismail said.<\/p>\n
The police, he said, would soon question some protesters,
\nairing his suspicion the attack was well-planned. Unlike usual
\ndemonstrations, when the protesters arrived in front of the
\nprosecutor's office they did not make any speeches but
\nimmediately pelted the building with stones.<\/p>\n
\"The attack was conducted systematically. There are people who
\ncontrolled the protest from the start. We have enough data about
\nit, but this is a process, it should be done in stages and we
\ncan't disclose the names of the suspects (in the attack),\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Governor Lalu Serinata regretted the attack, telling people on
\nTuesday not to be provoked and to allow the prosecutors to deal
\nwith the case.<\/p>\n
When asked of the protesters' fear that his questioning, which
\nis scheduled on Wednesday, was a move to unseat him, he said: \"It
\nwill not be easy to bring down a governor\".<\/p>\n
He said he was ready to be questioned as a witness in the case
\nbut refused to comment when asked whether he was behind the
\nattack, or someone was trying to tarnish his name as the
\nprotesters claimed to be showing support for him.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/security-beefed-up-at-prosecutors-office-after-attack-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}