Yemris Fointuna
\nThe Jakarta Post
\nKupang<\/p>\n
Nine prosecutors of the East Flores Prosecutor's Office and five
\njudges of the regency's district court, along with their
\nfamilies, fled Larantuka on Wednesday after the office and the
\ncourthouse in the town, the regency capital, were set ablaze by
\nan angry mob last Saturday.<\/p>\n
District Court Head I Wayan Supartha said that the prosecutors
\nand judges had fled as they felt traumatized over the incident,
\ndespite the extra deployment of security personnel.<\/p>\n
"The prosecutors and the judges who left town are those who
\nhandled the case involving Father Frans Amanue," he said, saying
\nthey moved to either the provincial East Nusa Tenggara capital of
\nKupang or Java.<\/p>\n
Supartha was referring to a local charismatic Catholic priest
\nwho was sentenced to two-months jail, suspended for five months,
\nfor calling Larantuka regent Felix Fernandez corrupt.<\/p>\n
The sentence means that Amanue will remain free unless he
\ncommits a crime within the next five months. The verdict,
\nhowever, angered his supporters, who rioted.<\/p>\n
Supartha said that the supervisors of the prosecutors and
\njudges approved their decision to leave Larantuka, a mainly
\nCatholic town.<\/p>\n
"I'm also confused with the situation because all of our
\nworking facilities have been destroyed. It would be better for
\nthem to leave Larantuka and do their duty elsewhere," he said.<\/p>\n
Separately, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Piet A. Tallo called
\non the law enforcers to stay in Larantuka, saying that temporary
\nbuildings had been provided for them.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta, the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW)
\nsaid the incident in Larantuka showed the failure of law
\nenforcers to probe public allegations of corruption.<\/p>\n
"Instead of probing the allegations by the priest, they
\npreferred to prosecute the priest for slander," said ICW deputy
\ncoordinator Danang Widoyoko in a statement.<\/p>\n
ICW said that law enforcers in East Nusa Tenggara must be
\nactive in responding to public allegations of corruption
\ncommitted by government officials.<\/p>\n
It demanded the Attorney General's Office and the police probe
\nalleged corruption by regent Fernandez as well as protect Amanue
\nas a witness.<\/p>\n
A bill on witness protection is still being deliberated at the
\nHouse of Representatives.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/yemris-fointuna-1447899208",
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