Cops held for shaking down businessman
Cops held for shaking down businessman
Abdul Khalik and Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Three police officers, including one police commissioner, were
arrested on Monday evening for allegedly extorting money totaling
Rp 64 million (US$6,747) from a Japanese businessman last week.
The three, two from the National Police Headquarters
identified only by their initials as Comr. "JS" and Second Insp.
"M", and Jakarta Police officer Second Brig. "B", were now being
detained at the South Jakarta Police precinct.
National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Aryanto Boedihardjo, who
agreed to be identified, said on Wednesday that the three would
be charged with the extortion of a Japanese citizen identified
only by one name, Hidiyaki, 56, in Tebet, South Jakarta on
Friday.
"We are now detaining them ... in order to question them
intensively," Aryanto said.
The three police officers went to the rented house of
Hidiyaki's friend Neneng Asiah, 22, in Tebet. At the house they
spotted Hidiyaki and asked Neneng why a foreigner was in her
house and whether Hidiyaki had a permit to stay in Indonesia.
Aryanto said it was unclear whether Hidiyaki, who had spent
several nights in Neneng's house, could not show his immigration
document or had overstayed his visa.
The three officers then threatened Hidiyaki with jail unless
he paid them Rp 100 million immediately.
However, Neneng and Hidiyaki had only Rp 30 million and
400,000 yen (Rp 34 million), and the officers forced the two to
get into their car, and took the pair to a foreign exchange
agency to change the yen. They also stopped at the Jakarta Police
station to show Hidiyaki they were really policemen.
The three officers later took Rp 64 million from the two and
dropped them on Jl. Blok S in South Jakarta.
The following day, Hidiyaki, accompanied by Neneng, reported
the incident to city police headquarters.
"After investigating the case we managed to identify the three
officers, and apprehended them immediately. This is to show the
people that we don't tolerate any abuse of power and misconduct
in the police," city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said.
The officers would be punished severely if found guilty,
Tjiptono said.