Arrested gamblers freed, money held at Naval base

JAKARTA (JP): Naval Base II authorities have acknowledged that a marines-initiated raid over the weekend in which 39 gamblers were apprehended was unlawful.

The gamblers were apprehended last Friday by marines after a raid on the third floor of the Harco Mangga Dua shopping center in Mangga Dua, West Jakarta. All 39 detainees were released after two hours of questioning.

Chief of Naval Base II Commodore La Ode Dayan said on Monday that the Rp 203.1 million (US$25,140), as well as gambling equipment confiscated during the 24-hour raid, would be held at the Naval Base.

"Well, next time, the Navy will have to coordinate with the police. There are several things the Navy will have to consult with the police prior to raids," Dayan said.

"Please do not take this the wrong way. It's not that city police chief (Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman) does not want to accept this case, or the confiscated evidence, but just because we made the arrest ... there are things that first need to be clarified."

Following an informal telephone conversation on the matter with the Navy's West Fleet chief, Rear Admiral Indroko, National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Togar M. Sianipar confirmed that the Rp 203.1 million was "intact" and was being held at the base.

"None of (the money) has been touched. The gamblers were only detained for exactly two hours at Naval Base II," he said.

Togar said that it appeared that the city police chief did not want to authorize the case, because the raid was considered "unlawful".

City police spokesman Lt. Col. Zainuri Lubis earlier said the arrest was unlawful, as only police officers were authorized to make arrests.

"If we (police) proceed with the prosecution, the case will be annulled by the suspects' lawyers because of its unlawfulness," Lubis said on Saturday.

He said homes and buildings in the capital were private property, and that not all officers had the authority to conduct a raid, or make an arrest.

"All officers are allowed to pitch in information and facts for an investigation, but only police officers can make the arrest," he said.

Lubis said he was unaware of the fate of the detainees or the whereabouts of the evidence. (ylt)