Bribes rampant at Cipinang jail, but chief denies it
Bribes rampant at Cipinang jail, but chief denies it
JAKARTA (JP): The Cipinang penitentiary in East Jakarta has
long been notorious for its corrupt wardens who demand bribes
from those who want to visit their jailed relatives or friends.
The head of the penitentiary, Mintardjo, denies it.
When The Jakarta Post tried to meet someone at the
penitentiary recently, three officers in uniforms at the
reception desk politely asked for identity cards and allowed the
female officer to lead us in.
A few steps down the way, the officer asked for money.
Although there is no official rate, Rp 10,000 is a standard fee
for being allowed just to enter the jail in the daytime.
The female officer then took the Post through the second gate,
where a number of prisoners in blue uniforms -- and some in blue
jeans -- were waiting for visitors.
"Such practices have become the culture here," said an inmate
who is serving an eight year imprisonment for murder.
Other inmates said that the bribe depends on the 'quality' of
the inmates to be visited. "The richer the inmate, the bigger the
bribe visitors have to pay," one of them said.
At night, when the penitentiary is officially closed for
visitors, the bribe goes up to Rp 200,000.
"Want to have a call girl for the night? Give Rp 200,000 to
the wardens at the front counter, and everything will be arranged
smoothly," said another prisoner.
"It's not possible for people to enter the penitentiary
compound at night. The prison guards and I take turns patrolling
the area at night," Mintardjo, the head of Cipinang correctional
institution, told the Post over the weekend.
The Post talked to seven inmates about the situation in the
correctional institution.
The inmates
Not only the wardens are "friendly" to the visitors, but also
the inmates, who mill around waiting for visitors.
The guard at the front counter usually give a form to visitors
for one of the inmates, and he will call the inmates whose name
is listed on the form for the visitors.
Another service fee ? Oh yes. Don't think this service is
free. They will let you know.
"Sir, it was me that called your relative," he said, his eyes
flashing out a clear message.
How much ?
There is no official rate. It depends on the visitors' mood.
"Just to buy cigarettes and some snacks. Rp 1,000 means a lot
here," said one inmate, who proudly said that he was in jail for
killing a man over a trivial matter.
He is apparently only a middleman and has to share the money
with on-duty officers.
At the end of the visit, a visitor will also count the total
time of visit, much like in a parking lot.
To make everything smooth for both the inmates and themselves
in the future, visitors will be wise enough to give the wardens
at the second counter some goodbye money.
According to the prisoners, the hourly rate is Rp 10,000
during daytime and Rp 50,000 at night.
The fee will be higher at certain times, such as Sunday
evening.
In general, a two-hour visit will cost a total of around Rp
35,000, and Rp 250,000 in the evening.
"Money is nothing to a man like me who had been here for
years, I wanted to make love," said another prisoner. "We can't
escape the rules of this game."
However, the officers as well as the bell-boy prisoners are
"sympathetic" people. "They never insist that poor people pay
that much," said a prisoner.
Other inmates have said that Eddy Tansil, the businessman in
jail for siphoning off Rp 1.3 trillion (US$620 million) in loans
from state-owned Bapindo bank, has furnish a small storehouse
next to the clinic into a comfortable pavilion.
"Once I saw Eddy's room, separated from other inmates' cells.
There is a TV set and a video player. I saw him using a handphone
and a pager," one of the inmates said.
Two other prisoners said that some government officials have
become Eddy's special guests. "All other inmates are usually
ordered to return to their own cells when Eddy receives special
guests in his room," they said.
"Eddy will only move to his real cell when there's an official
visit or an inspection from high-ranking officials," said one of
the sources.
The penitentiary head, Mintardjo, said, "I have never received
reports on irregularities in the correctional institution."
(team)