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)