Team set up to investigate garlic swindle<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Police Internal Affairs Unit is
\ncurrently investigating reports of a spice trader being swindled
\nout of her produce, police said yesterday.<\/p>\n
An officer of the city police headquarters said that a special
\nteam had been set up to investigate any possible malfeasance on
\nthe part of police officers in the alleged sale of 7.32 metric
\ntons of garlic confiscated from a spice trader named Setia Arba
\nSibarani, 43.<\/p>\n
Setia has accused members of the police economic detective
\nunit of selling 7.32 metric tons of garlic they confiscated from
\nher for her alleged involvement in illegal transactions last
\nyear.<\/p>\n
Setia claims the police cooperated with another spice trader,
\nLely, in selling the confiscated garlic.<\/p>\n
\"Even though there is a statement that none of the officers
\nwas involved, we will keep investigating. It is very important
\nfor us to know the truth about the case,\" the officer said.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully our investigation will solve the case and clear the
\nnames of innocent parties,\" he said.<\/p>\n
City police spokesman Lt. Col. E. Aritonang said Wednesday
\nthat the police were looking into the report of the illegal
\ngarlic transaction, but denied the selling of confiscated garlic.<\/p>\n
\"The garlic confiscated by the officers on Nov. 20 amounted to
\nfive tons, not 7.32 tons as Setia claimed it was,\" Aritonang
\nsaid, quoting court order No.1557\/Pen.Pid\/PN.JKT.PST.<\/p>\n
Separately, Amir Hamzah, head of Tanjung Priok's flora
\nquarantine unit, which was also mentioned in the case, said the
\ncity police sent him a letter dated Dec. 11, 1997, asking about
\nthe condition of the confiscated garlic.<\/p>\n
\"I answered that the garlic was already diseased and that the
\nbulbs could rot. A few days later, Lely came here and asked about
\nthe same thing.\"<\/p>\n
Amir reiterated yesterday that his office never received a
\nbribe as claimed by Setia.<\/p>\n
\"The burning of the evidence was not our jurisdiction because
\nthe bulbs were not confiscated by us. It was not our job,\" Amir
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Lely's lawyer, Sordame Purba, denied Lely's
\ninvolvement in the case.<\/p>\n
\"Lely never bought that garlic from the police. She is a spice
\nvendor who takes spices mostly from West Java. If the police want
\nto question her we'll be ready,\" he said yesterday. (edt)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/team-set-up-to-investigate-garlic-swindle-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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