Bimantoro violated law, court told

JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro violated the law for ordering the arrest and detention of Sr. Comr. Banjarnahor without any reason, a lawyer told a court hearing on Tuesday.

Banjarnahor is one of eight middle-ranking police officers who are suing Bimantoro at South Jakarta District Court. The officers, through their lawyers, filed the lawsuit on Monday.

Soekartono, a lawyer for Banjarnahor, told the hearing that his client received a summons from the police internal affairs and investigation department dated July 23, to clarify his involvement in a meeting at Kafe Waroeng Menteng in South Jakarta on July 22.

Banjarnahor was not present at the meeting, although some other mid-ranking police officers appeared, Soekartono said.

"What was the basis for Banjarnahor's arrest and detention? He didn't commit any crime at all. Therefore, the arrest and detention should be declared unlawful," he said.

On the other hand, Bimantoro's lawyer, Adj. Comr. Rudi Heriyanto, insisted that Banjarnahor be tried at a military tribunal and he asked judge Abdul Kadir to issue a verdict on the case.

Responding to the lawyer's demand, Abdul Kadir said that he would have to coordinate with other judges handling the hearings of the seven other plaintiffs.

The hearing for Banjarnahor's case will resume on Wednesday.

Banjarnahor, along with Sr. Comr. Alfons Loemau, Sr. Comr. Salikin Moenits, Sr. Comr. Parlindungan Sinaga, Sr. Comr. Nurdin Umar, Sr. Comr. Bambang Widodo, Sr. Comr. Badaruzzaman Hidir and Adj. Comr. Herman Kotto were arrested for insubordination and have been detained since July 23 under Bimantoro's orders.

They are currently being detained at Mobile Brigade Headquarters in Kelapa Dua, south of here.

The plaintiffs allegedly staged a revolt against Bimantoro following the meeting at the cafe, which was about the general's defiance of former president Abdurrahman Wahid, who suspended him as National Police chief on July 1. (04)