12 police officers fired for drug theft and desertion in Lampung

12 police officers fired for drug theft and desertion in Lampung

Oyos Saroso, Bandarlampung

Lampung Police fired 12 low-ranking officers for drug theft,
burglary and desertion, according to a senior police officer in
Bandarlampung, the capital of Lampung province.

Lampung provincial police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Hariyadi
Wibowo said on Wednesday that the decree to fire the officers was
signed on Tuesday night by Lampung provincial police chief Brig.
Gen. M.D. Primanto.

"The decree was issued after Primanto received a copy of a
verdict by a police tribunal that the 12 officers were found
guilty of stealing drugs and neglecting their duty," said
Hariyadi.

The police tribunal began on Monday and the verdict was
delivered on Tuesday.

Hariyadi continued that of the 12, seven were convicted of
stealing drugs, while the remaining five were found guilty of
desertion. The ranks of the 12 police personnel ranged from
second to first brigadier.

The drug theft occurred at the end of May, according to
Hariyadi. The theft was discovered by a policeman in the Central
Lampung police precinct, when he noticed small amounts of
marijuana strewn about the evidence room.

Two officers from the precinct were questioned after the
discovery, which led to the investigation of five more officers.
The seven were then taken to a police tribunal to face justice.

With regard to the five other officers convicted for
desertion, Hariyadi said that they were brought before a police
tribunal after they had not turned up for duty for periods
ranging from 14 to 51 working days since May.